


Second Station

by Julibun



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 22:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13668921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julibun/pseuds/Julibun
Summary: Chanyeol is used to riding the train to work every morning.He is not used, however, to the new face that started sharing the journey with him.In which simple worker Chanyeol finds himself fascinated with a new figure he gets to see on a nearly daily basis.It's a very easy going and gentle story! Just a small gift for valentine's day until I can think of which idea to write next.Let me know what you think! ♡





	Second Station

 

  
It is spring.

"...Train to...arrive, please stand well back from the platform's edge until your train comes to a complete stop. Do no leave luggage unattended on the station. Any unattended luggage will be removed without warning and may be destroyed..."

The monotone yet somewhat humanly voiced announcement system started speaking to the crowd standing and waiting for their railed transportation vehicle to arrive. Sometimes he'd like to imagine how whoever had to record these messages stood behind a microphone for hours, saying the same thing over and over again until it came out perfectly lifeless to become the official voice of order.

Chanyeol could repeat these words accurately even if woken up in a rush in the middle of the night into a life or death situation. He definitely undoubtedly could save himself and everyone he loves if it depended on quoting these messages correctly.

He's heard it a million times already. Every single morning on his way to work, and every single evening on his way back home from work.

While he's down here in the station waiting for his train to cease moving and open its doors, up in the streets flowers are blooming, trees are green and fruitful, birds are chirping lively and the skies are as beautiful as the finest art pieces known to people.

As sad as it sounds, this is the best time to spend at work, because the brighter the sun, the happier possible customers become. The more cheerful they are, the less likely they will hold themselves back from spending money on what grabs their interest. In Chanyeol's case, he knows he would have no trouble gathering some attention to see these quick happy fingers flip through money bills in front of the cashier.

The metalic tube flashed into his vision, firing through the rails down in front of the waiting platform he and his fellow passangers are standing. The loud noise of the air being pressed at such speeds, combined with the creaking of the breaks and hisses of engines working with effort shushed down the station's cold announcing voice.

His hair flew a little bit out of place from the dry breeze caused by the impact of the tube's movement. So after the doors opened with a muffled yet loud 'sssshhhhh' sound, he stepped into his usual car and placed himself in his usual spot inside.

As always, there were no free seats. He would have been happy if there were, but he's fine just standing and yawning into his own palm too.

Chanyeol knows everyone on this car. Not personally, he isn't their friend, no names involved either. But he knows them because they are all stuck in the same morning routine of catching onto the same train at the same time and silently passing the time until their departure.

He greeted the nice old lady seated a few spots to his left with a friendly bow of respect and received a small smiling nod in return. There were some days in the past where the two of them would sit and talk for a while on the train. She's always there when he boards, and remains there when he exits in the mornings.

The others were also just as familiar. Workers dressed in various ways traveling to various places. He knew they could probably recognize him too.

But today something is different. Today there's something new.

 

  
A new face boarded the train.

A face looking a lot curious and a little anxious. They must be a first time traveller if they are this nervous.

It was a guy owning the most beautiful lips Chanyeol has ever seen, enough reason for his interest to peak, so he watched him silently.

Chanyeol was standing near the middle of the car, holding one of the hanging handles from the ceiling on one side easily. The top of his head nearly surpasses the metal hanger across the ceiling's length to which the handles are attached to. While the guy is standing on the other side and holding tightly onto one of the poles instead.

His mind was entertaining the idea of the guy needing to use the pole just because he must probably be too short to reach and hold one of the handles comfortably like Chanyeol himself.

Normally Chanyeol sees only adults and elderly boarding the train at the same hour as him, since his work begins only a little later than rush hour. Which makes it the best time for those who prefer not to squeeze through the crowds to still use public transportation. This is one of the benefits of working as a seller at the music store in the big local mall.

So admittedly, it's kind of new for him to see a new younger looking face like his own on the train as well. But well, it might just be a one time special travel too, so he shouldn't get too excited about having a similar aged pal for the journey. Or maybe younger, this guy looks as soft as a baby.

It was a little weird when the train finally came to a cease at Chanyeol's station, because the dude exit as well, but before Chanyeol could even blink he disappeared into the crowd and out of sight. Too much trouble for Chanyeol's eyes to try and track.

Up the stairs that lead back to the street, a turn to the left and a couple of minutes later, Chanyeol made it to work. To the big mall.

He lazily strolled by the first floor and yawned while leaning against the rail of the escalator towards the second. Then into one of the hidden hallways behind the shops and into the back room of his music store. He changed his shirt, fixed his hair and went out to the store itself.

Not long after the customers began slowly trickling in. Good thing he and his fellow coworkers and friends excell in music.

Yixing the expert of guitars and anything related to them, Baekhyun the friendliest pianist he's ever met, and Chanyeol himself. The one who's in charge of the two of them and branches into all the instruments being displayed to sell at the store. His friends had their specialties, but Chanyeol was like a combination of very good skills on every single instrument. Therefore receiving the role of the higher supervisor and main seller.

On his first break he sat with Minseok, the breathtaking little man selling beauty and skin care products in the store right at the entrance of the mall. Later in one of his runs through the back hallways hidden from the customers of the mall he bumped into Jongin from the sports store, the one in charge of the dance section, when they went to the toilet.

Then at the end of his shift he waved a cheerful goodbye to Junmyeon, Jongdae and Sehun. Junmyeon the movie tickets seller, Jongdae the one tending the snack bar, and Sehun the general staff member that checks tickets and answers the movie goers' questions to assist.

He napped most of his way back home on the train after luckily finding a free seat in one of the car's corners. Didn't even bother looking at the other passengers to wonder whether he recognizes them as regulars or not.

 

  
The next day, the day after it, again and again and even a week later, Chanyeol kept spotting the same cute little guy with the pretty lips on the train. Not that he tried to stalk him or anything like that, but apparently he gets on the train exactly one stop after Chanyeol's own.

Which means they must be located not that far from each other above this underground train path.

But the real shocker, was the fact that Chanyeol discovered he was riding the same train back home every day at the same time as Chanyeol, too. Getting off a station before him each time. He really didn't mean to notice these details, it's just hard to miss when his eyes are having a hard time tearing themselves off from the guy's adorable way of standing and gripping on the pole with his little hands.

To be honest, it's very unlikely for Chanyeol to feel shy or nervous about talking to anybody. But the dude seems to always be stuck in his own world somehow. Always with his earphones attached and the cord's source stuffed into the pocket of the thin zipper hoodie he wears.

So it kind of made Chanyeol feel like he'll be a bothersome intruder to try and initiate any sort of communication between them. He doesn't want to get all up in the dude's personal space and possibly repel him further away from the chance of a connection. It would be nice if they could just greet each other something nice at least, since they are there every day of the week, but Chanyeol is not going to force it on anybody.

He's just the new guy who doesn't yet know that this car contains a family of passengers who all aknowledge each other's existences for well over a year. It's be awkward to push forcibly and Chanyeol's really not into these things, so if the interest isn't mutual, no thanks.

The two of them end up standing in the train during their rides both to their destinations and back from them more often than not. Everytime Chanyeol would be holding to the harness from the ceiling and the guy would cling to the metal pole.

And yet even at work he can't help but zone out more often while wondering why he feels so odd about simply approaching and talking to the dude on the train to begin with. They look around the same age, they clearly travel at the same times, it's the perfect combination of details to help a beautiful opportunity of connection to arise.

They spend so much time there together every single day, they might as well exchange a word or two, no? To know what's up, talk about the news or the weather, stay updated, the normal things. Just to be friendly and sociable.

Chanyeol is already doing it with all of the other passengers at their usual car. Just like a family. Well, not really, they are still strangers who just happen to be there at the same time, but still. It's nicer than the awkwardness he feels bubbling in him about the boy.

Why is he so bothered by it? Could he be developing a weird fear of a change? Things used to be a certain way, and now this stranger came by and ruined Chanyeol's balance.

Nah, he's just being an idiot because it's still surprising that there's another young person there with him. Probably.

 

  
Chanyeol didn't even realize he was sitting in front of a piano and staring blankly at the wall mounted with hundreds of guitars above the piano's edge, until he saw Baekhyun's face pop right in front of him.

Both arms on the top of the piano holding his head up with his palms and growing a wide teasing grin across his lips. Chanyeol nearly jumped.

"Hmmm~ What chu thinking bout?"

His friend asked in a pretentious cute speaking tone and stared down intently at the way Chanyeol's mouth shut back tightly. He blinked several times and kept a weird blank eye contact between them before rubbing the back of his head with a sigh.

"There's this dude---"

"dUdE?! A guy?! Whoa! I never knew we had so much in common Chanyeol! Since I, also, am interested in a dude!"

Chanyeol couldn't do much other than chuckle and smack his friend's arm off of the piano's top, causing him to lose balance and whine in retaliation.

Baekhyun just groaned and rubbed over his arm with an obvious joking pout and continued mumbling offended 'Ouch's until the span of the joke had ended and he stepped back closer to listen to Chanyeol's tale.

"Anyway, a guy on the train I take every morning who gets on a station after mine. Short, pretty lips, big eyes, kinda round."

He started again, this time earning Bakehyun's utmost attention. His eyes were almost shining with excitement to hear what he's about to say. He leaned closer and kept watching him. Maybe starting the sentence the way he had was a bad idea.

Baekhyun does show interest in anything he says, they are good friends after all, but bringing up that subject might have been a little bit too much of a thrill to continue with the rest of the boring sentence.

"Dunno why, I can't bring myself to talk to him. He's always with his earphones on, I'd feel kinda bad interrupting."

The excited one of the two smacked Chanyeol's back a few times before shutting his eyes and clicking his tongue as if to scold him for what he said. Or did. Or something, Chanyeol knows that his actions are always very dramatic for the sake of entertainment.

But Baekhyun is clever, and even if he makes jokes out of many subjects, he has Chanyeol's best interest in his mind and would never disrespect anybody. Plus, he's exeprienced in the field Chanyeol has not yet ventured into for long enough to count as knowledgable.

"My brother, you literally just described him with 'Pretty lips'. What are you so afraid of? You still talk with the old lady on train, don't you?"

Chanyeol ran a hand through his hair and then allowed it to fall back down into place naturally before nodding at his friend with a small smile.

"Yup I do. She's good, by the way."

"There you go! You've never once mentioned anyone other than her who caught your interest on the train. Just go for it, I'm like pretty sure he wouldn't bite."

Baekhyun grinned at him with staisfaction and finally pulled back and away from Chanyeol for good. His attention quickly turned to something way more important to him than Chanyeol's insecurities about talking to a dude more than a head shorter than himself.

 

  
Chanyeol watched how Baekhyun's entire aura and energy was focused on their friend. Yixing was walking their way while carrying a large box filled with a new delivery of something hidden in many layers of bubble wrap.

The box looked fairly light to carry, and yet in less than a second Baekhyun spent back up on his feet after leaving Chanyeol, he was already rushing to Yixing and helping him carry it by grabbing the two free corners of the box. Smiling at him with so much love that Yixing's smile in return was just as fond, displaying both of his dimples with charm.

Baekhyun asked him what's inside with excitement as they shifted their position in order to avoid bumping into some of the other ground mounted instruments spreaded across the store. Only to laugh loudly when Yixing's answer was that the box contains a whole lot of simple plastic kazoos.

They are cute.

Even though they are pretty good at keeping it down in public, the two of them are so in love all over the place, and Chanyeol may or may not be feeling especially lonely lately.

He's had a pretty ugly breakup with a girl he had dated for several months not too long ago, because he found her cheating on him. It wasn't that much of a heartbreak as much as it was just the shitty feeling of the self doubt that filled him up after thinking he might have not been good enough and that it was his fault she had to resort to other means of interactions.

It took him a very short time to understand the case wasn't so. That he was way more than good enough and that it was her active choice to seek more attention where there was only so much more it would have taken to simply hold on to what she had.

Chanyeol's completely over it already. It doesn't even sting. Just a foggy memory of someone who let him down.

The only thing that does reach him at moments like these is seeing just how excited both Baekhyun and Yixing are about each other. About seeing each other, speaking with each other, smiling, laughing. They share this love-filled atmosphere around them when they're together and it brings Chanyeol both happiness and sadness at the same time.

He's not entirely out of the loop though.

Chanyeol doesn't shy away from flirting with every pretty lady that enters the store. He loves showing off his musical skills when he gets the chance to grab a customer's attention and lead them into a successful sale, or when they get more interested in him personally than the item and ask him to give them examples of the instrument's usage.

It's almost enough to distract him from his loneliness. From the fact that he is underneath it all, alone.

Teasing the customers at the store is one way to keep himself entertained, but what really pulls him out of the cold loneliness sink hole turned to be very unexpected.

That boy in the train.

Everytime he watches him and sees the way he just stands there looking so cute with his small hands gripping on the pole so he wouldn't slip. Him and his pretty lips and round little glasses and adorable dainty fingers fiddling with his phone or the strings of his own clothes. Everytime that guy's in his vision Chanyeol feels like he's having an out of body experience.

Something about the dude is just way too captivating for Chanyeol to stand against. And it's probably creepy and weird because he doesn't even know his name. He never heard his voice, he never even made eye contact with him.

But whatever, there's nothing wrong with looking at someone and admiring their appearance, right?

 

  
Instead of drowning in his own stress, Chanyeol continued living his life just like it was before the new face appeared on the train.

He still goes out with everyone in their group of friends almost every weekend. To bars, clubs, parties. They're a pretty adored bunch surrounded by many people who always seek their company in more ways than one.

When he feels like it he even lands himself ways to spend the nights with another person. It's an easy task to complete especially when they go out to the clubs. Chanyeol isn't ashamed to admit he is pretty much irresistable when he actually tries to be. So it's a harmless source of relief where everybody involved wins.

But really, a lot of his time he spends at home with his beloved puppy Toben.

Sometimes when he's too lazy to go out with anyone else, he would take Toben out for long nightly walks in the large park located a few blocks away from his place. He likes these nights because the two of them are able to just walk peacefully together and enjoy the pleasant silence of the night.

Normally he would be alone. Just him and Toben pacing on the paths between trees and bushes. But recently he started seeing another person often walking around at the same hours.

A short one with round glasses that holds two leashes to walk two dogs at the same time. Chanyeol couldn't quite see them clearly, he wasn't even sure if they are a She or a He, because that person walked only at the outer edge of the park furthest away from Chanyeol's own location and always wore some sort of large coat that hid their outfit and bodily features.

Well, it makes sense since the evenings the person started appearing at were fairly chilled. Chanyeol would have approached the person to talk to them and let their dogs play together, but at the hours they were out any sort of conversation was just a tiring bother nobody would seek.

Every train ride he would continue watching the adorable boy in desperate silence, but he's gotten so used to doing it that the option of possibly starting any sort of connection didn't even show up in his thoughts anymore.

He isn't looking for any sort of commitment at all, even just creating a friendship with that guy would be a huge relief, just interacting, looking at each other, aknowledging his existence, something. But there's nothing because the dude never looks in his direction.

It's tiring to even continue watching him anymore, but Chanyeol still does. Because he can't stop.

This endless cycle of feeling like a great opportunity is slipping between his fingers every morning, the exposure to Baekhyun and Yixing's impossibly loving relationship being displayed, and then again feeling like he's missing something great by letting the boy walk away on his way back home in the evenings, was vicious.

It's a loophope created in Chanyeol's subconscious that just constantly pushes his loneliness down on him and turning it into a burden that's becoming harder to carry.

He's not alone, that's for sure. He has wonderful close friends who truly care for him, he has many acquaintances who would want to know he's fine, and he has his most precious baby; Toben.

 

  
It seems his miserable aura was strong enough for a while already, breaching outwards, because today during the break Jongin invited Chanyeol to hang out at his place after work right before a weekend. Of course he wasn't able to decline, not when Jongin's apartment contains three of his favourite little creatures in the world.

So they made it there together, Jongin doesn't have any public transportation that reaches close enough to his place, so his job pays for his daily taxi rides to the mall and back every day. Which is pretty cool. All of the workers' travelling expenses are covered by the management. It's only fair.

At the moment the door of his apartment opened, Jongin's three beautiful dogs washed over the two of them with licks and nuzzles and lots of love. Just like Chanyeol needed.

They sat together with the trio of fluffs on their laps in the living room and played some games on Jongin's platforms for quite a while, before the hanging out part had arrived and Chanyeol knew what was coming for him.

"So what's up with you? I see you zoning out like a zombie sometimes in the hallways."

Jongin asked curiously before shoving a broken half of a cookie into his mouth.

"I don't know, I feel a little disconnected lately. It's tiring to constantly see the lovebirds in my music store."

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and rolled his eyes, grabbing a cookie of his own and starting to munch on it right after. Jongin on the other hand chuckled with amusement and smiled faintly while staring down at one of his pups resting on Chanyeol's lap.

"I'm actually... Hoping that soon enough my things will work out too. I've been waiting for the right moment to ask someone out for a while now..."

The host admitted, surprising Chanyeol into staring at him wide eyed.

"Whoa, seriously? Who is it? Someone at the mall?"

"No, an old friend I kept in contact with for years. I'm sure it'll be just fine because they showed a lot of interest whenever the subject was brought up."

That is actually adorable. Chanyeol isn't used to seeing Jongin looking so bashful and shy while speaking so truthfully. So he cheered him on.

"Aww, I wish you luck buddy. Whoever it is definitely is a winner."

Jongin laughed once again for a little while before focusing into Chanyeol's eyes with confidence.

"And? What about you? You're not well, so what's going on?"

He asked, and Chanyeol took a breath while stroking the fur of the pet lying in his lap.

"I feel... Lonely. It's not Baekhyun and Yixing's fault, but I think it might be starting to affect me. Like there's something I'm missing every day."

Chanyeol knows he can trust his close friends with what's on his heart. So talking to Jongin openly like this isn't difficult or scary at all. Actually only a few weeks ago Jongin had opened up his own heart to Chanyeol about other subjects.

It's common for their group of friends to talk about serious things at times of need. Chanyeol appreciates that fact a lot. It's a healthy habit to maintain.

His host then gave him a saddened expression for a few seconds, before reaching a hand forward and patting his shoulder with encouragement.

"Chanyeol, you should just go with your guts. If there's someone on your mind you should definitely go for it. You can't just stay stuck all alone and in fear because of your ex."

He wondered if it really is related to anything about his ex. Well, it could be, even though he was sure he is already over the whole situation. But either way it definitely is a good idea to push forward instead of being frozen in one place. Maybe it isn't the past that's haunting him but rather the possibility of experiencing the same thing in the future.

 

  
Chanyeol left Jongin's place later that evening in a new set of mind. He felt very brave and strong. Sure of himself and his choice of actions. He already knew what he's going to do at the moment monday returns to a new day of work.

He came to a very strict decision that whatever happens and whatever he feels, he will talk to the boy no matter what.

Hell, even if not for a romantic relationship at all, the dude on the train keeps catching his attention and messing with his brain and feelings. Seeing him come and leave every day feels like at the moment he sees the boy he starts drowning and has to hold his breath. And only when he finally leaves at his station at the evening Chanyeol is able to breathe again.

There's odd tightness in his chest that wouldn't let him release his weird fixation on the boy.

So with Jongin's positive wind pushing from the back, Chanyeol decided the least he can do is befriend the boy and see if there's even a reason for his entire being to react the way it does to his appearances in his life.

But work morning arrives and Chanyeol finds himself stuck again. Unable to approach him or even turn in his direction at all. Only watch him silently and admire his soft adorable features from afar like a creep.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with finding a guy attractive. It doesn't mean he wants to kiss him or anything.

Even though this guy's plump heart shaped lips look pretty damn kissable. Ugh, Chanyeol needs to stop. He's being stupid and gross.

With the growing disappointment in his chest about not being able to create any sort of interaction in the morning he promised himself he would, Chanyeol already marked this day as a failure and let his quickened heart beats sink down to the usual cold rhythm of shame and loneliness.

He was so thankful for Jongin's help and yet he failed not only himself but Jongin's belief in him too. When he admitted it to Jongin at work he took it with a healthy laughter, but Chanyeol really did feel lame.

The days passed in the same manner. Chanyeol kept boiling inside every morning and evening on the train with the conflicting thoughts and feelings he has towards this one boy in the car.

He simply couldn't understand why such nervousness overflows him whenever he thinks about talking to the guy. Or even just from letting him know that he exists. Getting his attention, be looked at. It drives him crazy. He was never afraid of approaching and talking to anybody, so why him?

 

  
\--

 

  
It is summer.

The days have passed quicker than Chanyeol realized. He was constantly battling the back of his mind to try and reach out for the boy's attention on the train. Because as things go, there is no point in trying anymore.

He already accepted the fact that there will be no connection between the two of them no matter how much he'd mourn over his own fears and strange tension that swallows him whenever he only as much imagines going up to the guy and speaking.

Every morning the boy arrives with his earphones on and never makes eye contact with anyone other than the edges of his own shoes. Although he started wearing a few less layers now that the weather's heating up, which is just another strong reason for Chanyeol's eyes to not wander anywhere other than him.

Everything about him is impossibly adorable in a way Chanyeol never realized anyone could be. It's not the same as Jongdae's cute smile or Minseok's magical youth. Maybe it has something to do with his careful behaviour whenever Chanyeol's watching.

Clearly, Chanyeol knows how to look without being detected, so it's not like the boy knows he's being watched. God, that sounds awful for Chanyeol to admit to himself as an excuse to thinking what he's doing is fine.

He just admires him, okay? His face and lips and his round glasses and small hands and the grip he has on the pole in the train and how neat he always looks. So soft. It's only natural for Chanyeol to be interested in looking at someone he finds attractive.

The never ending battle inside him is still just as strong. One half of his brain and heart pushes him in the guy's direction, while the other, more powerful one it seems, keeps pulling him back and far away from the source of the insecurity itself.

Keeps switching not only with his need to interact with the boy but also internally, about what sort of feelings he has towards him to begin with.

Is he interested in his physical appearance? Is it a crush just because he looks good? Is he maybe just intrigued by the chance of a friendship? Or maybe this whole thing is just the never fulfilled curiousity he has about him just because he is the new face in the train?

No, he isn't a new face anymore. Not after months of riding the same train every single day just like Chanyeol. Chanyeol doesn't even know him, so it can't be a friendship he's seeking from this person.

He just can't process it, no matter how long and how many times he'll be telling himself to give up or look away.

At least there's a little bit of comfort in knowing that he isn't violating any laws by simply staring. It could go against his own pride, but it's not like anybody other than him is aware of the conflict he's going through every day on the train.

 

  
At last, came a day Chanyeol has been looking forward to for the entire year.

It is the end of august and that can only mean one thing.

National Dog Day!

Chanyeol has been preparing for this day ever since last year. He's been training Toben to react well to any sort of distraction. And even though the pup is still fairly young and hyper, he's extremely touchy and behaves very well.

He taught him the basic commands, to sit and stay and roll and shake hands. But he also taught him special tricks like play dead, comfort and even how to bring Chanyeol his bag in the mornings.

So today is the big day and Chanyeol is beyond excited. Because every year on Dog Day, the workers of the mall are allowed to bring their pets with them to work. As long as they are willing to take responsibility over their actions and whatever consequences it might entail to have them there and possibly create a mess.

Chanyeol wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world.

He really tried his best to keep his own excitement down about this for the days before the actual date arrives, so that Toben will remain calm and composed through the experience, but when morning broke loose, so did Chanyeol.

At the moment the alarm ended his journey through dreamland he couldn't help but show just how thrilled he was from the fact that Toben will be coming with him and they'll be able to spend the day together. He ruffled his fur happily and made sure to comb it properly right after. Toben will be an attraction today so he has to be at his best shape.

Chanyeol was so delighted that as he was waiting for the water to boil for his morning coffee he even cuddled Toben up in his arms and began dancing around the apartment while humming cheerfully and laughing at the way his pup was nuzzling into his hold all pleased from the attention.

So after dressing himself up for work, Chanyeol dressed up his partner as well. Making him wear an adorable branded doggy vest and a colorful collar that attaches to a small little snapback hat. Toben will be the coolest dog in the entire city today, and Chanyeol will be the proudest owner of all.

Money was never an issue for Chanyeol, so putting some effort into his pup is only a given.

Today along with Chanyeol's usual work bag, he brought a special sports carrier bag as well. One that he had placed special cushions and soft blankets in. There's no way he'll be placing Toben in any cage when the day is all about him. So the best alternative was a proper soft container to keep him off the ground when needed.

They made it to the station together, Toben led their way easily with a leash until he was met with the hundreds of people rushing through the platforms and started getting nervous.

So while their train was coming to a cease in front of their own boarding spot Chanyeol let him in the cushioned bag and held it up in his arm without a strain. Toben looked pretty adorable with his head popping from the top of the bag and examining the view around with curiousity, now that he knows he's safe in Chanyeol's hold.

 

  
A quick glance around the car revealed there is nowhere to sit, so Chanyeol easily stood in his usual spot and grabbed up at the handle coming from the ceiling. The bag containing Toben rose up closer to him that way, too.

He stood with pride, confidence and happiness from having Toben right beside him was dripping out of his aura.

The pup was lying comfortably in the bag, remaining calm, and Chanyeol was glad that even though it's pretty obvious what is in his bag, none of the familiar ol' pals gave him any weird glances or decided to question him about it at all. Most of these usual passengers must have been here last year as well now that he started thinking about it.

First part of the ride passed successfully, until they reached the first stop in the journey. The boy's stop.

When the doors opened Chanyeol did his best to pull his eyes away from who might be entering. He's way too buzzed from having Toben with him and it'd be too embarrassing if his excitement will spill out and he'd give the dude a weird look of any sort.

So he fought hard and managed to bring his eyes to one of the windows instead. While watching how the boy boarded the train anyway from the corner of his field of vision. He was looking down at the ground the entire time, not raising his face even once since the moment he entered.

Chanyeol immediately felt the pressure in his chest about his own stress of not being able to approach him, just like every single morning of a working day ever since the first time he came around.

But instead of falling down that slippery slope of doubt and boiling of steam inside him, he directed his attention to Toben. Carefully he shifted a little to look inside the bag, and smiled warmly when his pup's head popped out of the bag's upper lid to lick his nose.

"Hey boy... How are you doing in there?"

He mumbled sweetly at his dog and pet his head softly to calm him down from the sudden excitement of being able to look at Chanyeol's face from up close. The pup switched licking Chanyeol's nose with licking Chanyeol's palm that's trying to stroke his head, and he let out a few quiet huffs of joy.

But then suddenly Toben's face turned forward in a certain direction and his ears rose up as if he entered an alert state. Something that's located somewhere in front of Chanyeol caught his attention.

Chanyeol, being a good father to his dog, turned to look and see what it is that distracted Toben.

Only to find that a few meters away from him, standing by the usual pole is the boy. Holding onto the pole with one arm while the other is holding a large sports bag that's unzipped, and staring right at him with wide opened eyes.

His instant reaction was to enter a state of an internal crisis. His heart skipped a beat so strongly in his chest that he almost felt a sting of pain from the sudden lack of oxygen flowing to his brain. Almost like an electric circuit that's been interrupted and now there are sparks flying through the air.

It really shook him, because being looked at like this by the guy can mean so many things. He finally aknowledges Chanyeol's existence? He is shocked from seeing him? Or maybe shocked from Toben? Is he going to be excited from seeing him there? Or is going to be one of those people that would come and tell him that he's wrong for bringing a dog on the train?

So many questions ran in his head, so Chanyeol simply turned his attention back to toben, petting him slowly and trying to shush him down and push him lightly back into the bag.

"Back down now... Don't disturb the others Toben..."

He hummed gently.

Blood was sprinting through his veins from the unexpected stare he got from the boy he's been watching so attentively for the past few months, but he really tried his best to keep a cool facade and appear calm and collected on the outside so it wouldn't alarm Toben more.

 

  
Except at the moment he turned his head back to see whether the boy has anything to say or do about knowing there's a dog on the train, Chanyeol realized he was actually moving towards him. Step after step careful and slow to stay in balance in the moving train.

Although he clearly saw the guy settling to stand right in front of him, and look up at him with wodnering big eyes from behind the round glasses resting on his nose, Chanyeol still felt like he's about to drop at any moment.

"Hi, uhm... Is it legal to have pets on the train?"

Whoa, Chanyeol was taken aback from how soft, gentle and beautiful his voice was.

For a moment there he forgot how to breathe entirely and choked on his own saliva because of the tiny gasp of surprise he wasn't able to hold back from the whole nature of this odd interaction between them.

On one hand he's losing his guts and crumbling internally in front of the little man, but on the other hand he started thinking maybe that question even if not expressed in any manner of judgement, might be having negative connotations. He knows it's fine, there's no reason for anyone to report him for bringing Toben along.

Not when he's behaving so peacefully, and especially not on Dog Day.

But there's no way this guy is going to complain about it, right? He looks so cute and round right under Chanyeol's nose when standing closer in front of him now. There are no bad intentions hidden behind his question for sure.

He shouldn't let his own worries rule him like this.

Chanyeol coughed a few times from the little choke he's experienced due to the surprise of being approached, but he tried to shuffle it away with a nervous chuckle. The way-too-cute boy in front of him started panicking from his coughs and gave him an expression filled with worry and stress.

But Chanyeol could only push the need to cough away with another laughter and then smile at him while waving his hand in order to signal for the dude to dismiss his concerns. It happens. Sometimes people choke because a pretty boy starts speaking to them. Right? It can't be just him.

Once he was finally breathing properly again he tapped the side of the bag he was carrying.

"Yeah. They're allowed in here as long as they aren't on the ground. Since it's dangerous and all."

He explained in a friendly manner, fascinated by the way the guy kept looking up at him with his big animated-looking eyes, beautiful plump lips and cute nose and oh god he is so unbearably adorable.

At the moment the last words of the sentence finished leaving his mouth Chanyeol's eyes detected abnormal movement coming from the bag the dude was holding. A little shake and a shift that cannot possibly be happening because of the train's movements since the line is smooth right now.

Then, really it felt like a joke, from under the unzipped cover of the guy's sports back peeked out a small ball of black fur that rose up a little to reveal a puppy's face much like Toben's; Who also popped his head above Chanyeol's bag limitations and let his tongue rest out of his little mouth while staring down at the similar looking dog in the guy's bag.

From the angle of the way the bag opened under them both, Chanyeol was able to see that there's another dog resting inside, one with grey fur.

 

  
Now Chanyeol was the one blinking down at the bag the guy's carrying in surprise.

There were a few seconds of confusion between them until the boy followed Chanyeol's eyes and realized what he was looking at. He stared at his own puppies filled bag for a moment before giggling softly and kneeling down to place the bag on the train's floor carefully.

These were the cutest little giggles Chanyeol has heard in his life. Not only heard, but saw, too. The way his mouth grew out into a smile in the shape of a heart, the way his eyes smalled into happy crescents behind the glasses and made him look like a little star shining brightly in the middle of the day.

He was in another state of mental shock from the overload of cuteness unveiling in front of him.

The boy leaned down and gently pet the black puppy's head a few times before turning it into calming strokes. It was so adorable. Oh god.

"Shh... We're almost there. Just a little more, okay girls?"

He then spoke to the two dogs in the bag with cautious and generousity, treating them with respect and affection, and Chanyeol's heart was bursting like foreworks inside his chest from his inability to control whatever emotional reactions are happening in him.

All he could do was just stand there with his mouth open and watch in awe.

It took him several long moments to realize how stupid he must look just staring down like this, so he shut his mouth, gulped, and smiled out at the boy once again with renewed positive energy.

What are the chances that not only would they talk for the first time on one of Chanyeol's favourite days of the year, but it would be thanks to their dogs, which are being brought together with them on the train. It's amazing.

This is exactly the chance he was looking for.

"Hey, are your girls poodles? My Toben is one too."

Chanyeol finally spoke again, quietly. This still is public transportation and bothering the general public would be rude. But there was still a hint of enthusiasm in his voice.

It seemed that the boy caught up on the excitement because he smiled up at Chanyeol with a new shine in his eyes. If Chanyeol starts experiencing a heart attack there's only one thing to blame for it. This boy, and his adorable little poodles in a bag.

The guy nodded happily and began talking himself.

He explained that their names are Mongmool and Hoochu, Ink and Pepper, because of the color of their fur. He said how old they are, which was funny to realize that both Mongmool and Toben are practically the exact same age. He also admitted that the two of them don't actually belong to him, but to his parents. And that he took custody of them only until his parents' return from a long vacation.

He looked particularly happy when he chuckled and expressed how good of a timing it was for him to be taking care of them when national Dog Day is here.

Chanyeol is so smitten by him and his gentle voice and adorable way of talking. How shy he turned whenever he caught himself speaking with too much excitement or a little louder than the soft whisper-like tone, how he fixed his glasses back up on his nose, how his fingers naturally stroked exactly the right spots to calm his dogs down.

He was left speechless in front of him. Probably because he felt a mixtures of awe, respect, and general interest. But he did listen to everything he said with utmost attention.

 

  
It felt like the entire world was suddenly turned into a different dimension for as long as he could continue standing there and listening to this wonderful guy speak about dogs as if he owns them himself even though he doesn't.

Until the conversation got cut short by the announcement of the station they are about to arrive at. The two of them stared up at the display screen showing the grid of the train stations' map, and turned to look down at their own dogs to make sure they remain calm through the slow stop at the station.

For a little while longer the two of them stared at each other instead, with gentle smiles of mutual love for their respective puppies. But then the boy jumped as if he just remembered that he was even in a train at all.

Were the two of them lost so deep in their own world they both forgot about the reality surrounding them?

The guy bowed down to Chanyeol politely and rose back up with a smile.

"Thank you for letting me know about the train... Thing. Toben is adorable! This is my stop, so... Have a nice day!"

He finished his words with a friendly wave, and left through the train car's opened doors while holding his dog containing bag close and safe to his body.

Chanyeol stood there for a few seconds, rooted with his feet on the train's floor. He was in awe. This guy is so wonderful and Chanyeol felt like he just experienced a little bit of what heaven must be like.

Then like a fool, he finally realized that the stop they're at is his own too.

So with a desperate dash he managed to squeeze himself out of the train right before the doors closed behind him. That rush of sudden activity blew up blood into his head, and he huffed in relief with a hand on his chest before attempting to scan the station's surroundings with his eyes.

He thought he could spot the guy, but like always, he was already gone.

 

  
The day at work was A BLAST.

Adding the dogs to almost every single store was the best thing the store owners could have hoped for. They grabbed so much attention from the visitors who are all already in the midst of summer vacation's happiness, and sales ran up through the roof.

The more crowd a shop had, the more curious faces popped in to check what the fuss was about, and really who in their right mind would be able to deny falling in love with everybody's happy puppies.

Everything was happier thanks to Toben and Mongryong who stole the show and everybody's attention with their energetic hyper behaviour. The two of them combined probably recieved enough pets, love and treats for a lifetime.

The dogs were no strangers to each other. Baekhyun and Yixing have been friends with Chanyeol since the beginning of time. Okay, not really, but at least since the moment Chanyeol came here a few years back as a new workers and found them making out in the storage room behind the cashier's desk.

It was one hell of an introduction to share, but at least their dogs didn't have to live through that initial awkwardness stage. Because merely a month after getting to know each other during their joined shifts both Chanyeol and Toben were invited over to their little place right by the main street.

And they've all been good friends ever since.

Even lunch break was longer today for all of the dog owning staff members. So they could walk them, let them rest, and take care of them before coming back to continue their shift. It was a little bit of an amusing shock when Chanyeol realized even Toben gets a longer break than him in this job, but hey. He can't complain.

And so their gang of friends grouped all together at the large bench in the open patio located in the middle of the mall. Like an inverted aquarium where the mall itself contains the fish and water while the center is above land and exposed to air, and to all visitors of the mall to see from the tall glass walls turned inwards.

There were so many dogs, and it was simply magical.

Chanyeol's toben, Yixing and Baekhyun's Mongryong, Junmyeon's Byul, Jongin's Jjangah, Jjangu and Monggu, and of course Sehun's Vivi.

Jongdae and Minseok were having the time of their lives playing with this large amount of puppies all around them.

They all sat and ate. Allowing their dogs to wander around the little contained territory and greenery in the area. After a few minutes of letting out all of their energy, the bunch returned to their owners to receive the proper pampering of love in order to nap before the shift's continuation.

 

  
The conversation was flowing and pleasant, covering up the fact that the food given to the workers by the cafeteria isn't exactly the best. But it was still fun to spend the time with all of the dogs around.

Chanyeol wasn't really paying that much attention to the conversation itself, only added a clever remark here and there for the comic relief, until Junmyeon started talking about some fresh news he's heard about one of their other coworkers at the mall.

They really aren't a group of people that'd start gossiping negatively about anybody, they're beyond that level of immaturity despite being fairly young.

But this one still caught Chanyeol's interest.

"It seems that the bookstore on the first floor was the biggest attraction of the day so far."

Junmyeon claimed while placing his food tray aside so it would make it easier for him to place his arms on the table instead.

"Whoa, really? How?"

Jongdae reacted with a surprised question. Really, how? Not that Chanyeol has anything against books, but everyone knows that industry is slowly dying due to technology and the fight to save the earth from killing more trees.

So it really is a surprise to learn that out of all shops in the mall during Dog Day that could have been booming with customers, the bookstore was the one to break through with the success.

The subject sparked Baekhyun's interest too, since after hearing Jongdae's shock he finally raised his head away from nuzzling his nose with Mongryong who looked extremely comfortable sitting all huddled up on Yixing's lap. It was cute, Yixing looked in just as much bliss as the dog with his calm smile.

"Remember I told you about the new worker they got a while back? The one that stays late every day to let the old cashier man leave earlier?"

Junmyeon continued calmly, and now all three of them were paying attention to his words. Baekhyun, Jongdae, and Chanyeol.

"Oh yeah, you said something about that before."

Baekhyun then joined the conversation, looking more intrigued than a moment ago. It's pretty rare for the second floor workers like all of them to be interacting with the first floor workers due to the mall's need for functionality. If the first floor workers are on their breaks, then the second floor workers would continue working for a while longer to keep the customers flowing in, and vice versa.

"Apparently he brought two puppies to the store and the kids literally refuse to leave."

Junmyeon said, sounding pretty impressed.

"I mean, same. I wouldn't want to leave if I could sit there quietly and read with a puppy by my side."

He added right away with a shrug of an obvious decision before Baekhyun laughed warmly and pet his shoulder over the table as if to signal he can relate to this sentiment as well.

There's no way the boy from the train with his bag containing two puppies will be working here as well, right? Chanyeol would have known. Even though they are on different floors he knows all of the workers at the different stores. He never saw him around.

It is suspicious that the two of them board the same train and exit at the same station every morning, but there are so many areas to work at that are located right around the mall itself as well. So the chances of the puppies mentioned belonging to him are fairly low. He would feel like the biggest fool on the planet if the dude is the same person. He surely isn't, it is Dog Day after all, if Jongin has three dogs of his own surely there are others who brought more than one pup.

"Awww! That sounds so cute! Minseok let's go check it out when the break ends!"

Jongdae responded immediately, with happy excitement and interest. He turned towards Minseok who sat right beside him with questioning hopeful eyes.

Minseok was busy teasing Byul by poking her behind the ears in an adorable little game of instincts. But after hearing Jongdae's suggestion he ruffled her fur and pulled her into his lap while nodding at him with a smile of agreement.

"I wanna go as well... Too bad our shift starts soon."

Baekhyun whined with a childish tone and a pout while leaning sideways to rest his head on Yixing's shoulder. Like the cheesiness they always have, Yixing raised his hand in order to stroke his boyfriend's hair with a smile.

Chanyeol was also just as curious to see the worker and their puppies. But he has Toben with him, and he has to return to the shop right after the break to continue working and watching over him. So he will have to hold onto his curiousity and find out the information on another time instead.

 

  
The second half of the day passes, and the shift ended successfully.

Chanyeol is more than happy to get back home and let Toben rest after such an eventful long day. He deserves it, he behaved so well towards anyone who approached him, was nice to every one of the customers and spent endless amounts of energy to entertain the crowd that would sometimes gather in the middle of the store just to watch him mess with Mongryong.

Although the shifts today were supposed to end a little earlier than normal for the sake of the dogs, because of the great success the day ended even later than the usual time his shift ends without any dogs around.

So not only must Toben be tired, but Chanyeol himself feels the dread of the exhaustion.

He waved goodbye at whoever was left even later than him at the mall and allowed Toben to hop into the cushioned sportsbag even before entering the train station just to give him a few more moments of rest on the journey from the mall to the train's platform.

The train arrived just on time and Chanyeol made it into the usual car right away. He is tired and would love to sit down, but as always, there are no available seats. So He stood in his usual spot and grabbed onto the handle with a small yawn.

Looking around him at the passenger, Chanyeol quickly noticed that the boy with his own bag of puppies isn't there. He probably got on the previous train back home since Chanyeol stayed overtime today, and since the guy must be wokring somewhere else he was most likely given an earlier leave.

The thoughts of the boy possibly being the mysterious not-really-new worker at the bookstore in the mall kept circulating in his head, but Chanyeol really isn't up to be fooled by false hopes today. Not when he's this tired. So he convinced himself that for sure there are enough places that allow their workers to bring their dogs to work on Dog Day. Which means the dude definitely isn't connected.

But the boy isn't coming.

The train is about to leave at any moment, and Chanyeol refused to allow himself to feel disappointed from the fact that he wouldn't be coming back with him today.

Even now when he finally felt confident enough to start a conversation with him after their little interaction in the morning, it seems he wouldn't be able to fulfill his feelings out and express them properly. He just wanted to talk.

The boy is so wonderful and soft and who knows when will Chanyeol ever be able to gather enough courage to speak with him again. So the sadness only barely had a moment to seep in.

He will have to work harder for this interaction to happen on another day. Because as much as he gets nervous whenever the guy's around, he got a taste from the heaven that is actually communicating with him and hearing his voice and seeing his smile and--- Okay, yes. He will do it. For sure.

But then right before the last ring of the bell that signals the train doors are going to close so the train could move, on the very last second, Chanyeol saw the dude jump into the train after a dash. Huffing and sweating and holding the large sports bag tight and close in his arms protectively.

 

  
For a moment all Chanyeol could do was stare at him in a sort of shock. One second more would mean the boy would have missed the train. Or even worse, get squeezed between the shutting doors mechanism and get harmed.

A few more passengers were curious about the rushed situation, which meant many eyes were now stuck on the boy, and Chanyeol felt a little bad for just standing there and doing nothing while he's struggling for air with the bag held tight to his body.

He would have offered help, or water, or something, but he doesn't even have what to offer at all.

So he and the rest of the startled passengers on the train car just stared at him for a little while until each person returned to their own silent business.

The guy, however, didn't seem to notice at all. Or maybe he simply didn't care.

He just kept breathing heavily for a while to catch back some air, and then kneeled down to the floor of the train and carefully settled the bag there as well. Chanyeol kept watching. There was a little bit of movement coming from the bag before two little heads popped out from the unzipped cover of it.

The boy leaned down lower, closer towards them, and wrapped his arms around the two puppies in a protective manner, pulling them into his hold inside the bag and very gently stroking their furs and letting their faces bury into his neck.

Chanyeol's heart was melting.

Two adorable little puppies nuzzling against one adorable little person's neck in comforting silence, licking his cheeks a few times as well. How much more cuteness than this person contain?

The boy kept stroking over their bodies until they calmed fully, and finally rested back down into the bag peacefully. That's when he sighed with relief and finally wiped a little bit of sweat off from his forehead. Summer's heat is unforgivable.

Chanyeol really, really wanted to talk with him.

But it took him nearly the entire journey in the train to calm down his puppies with hugs and strokes, and Chanyeol would be the last to turn into the bad guy in the situation. He didn't have the heart to possibly bother such a pure moment of beauty and everything that's good in the world.

So by the time the guy finally pulled up the bag of dogs and noticed Chanyeol was looking at him, they made eye contact for a little while. He nodded to Chanyeol with a tired smile and Chanyeol felt his insides filling with bubbly heat again.

They arrived to his stop right after, and the two bowed to each other as the dude left the train, still holding the bag in his arms protectively. Chanyeol could hear him start mumbling softly when he stepped out, but the doors shut afterwards and it was the end of their daily communication.

The puppies must have been scared and nervous because the guy was rushing to the train just now, but he handled the situation perfectly. And it warmed his heart.

With the image of his compassion and cautious way of taking care of the two pups still fresh in his mind. Chanyeol turned to look down at Toben napping in his bag and started stroking him slowly. Carefully, fondly.

 

  
\--

 

  
Dog Day ended, August ended, September and October have too.

Halloween party with the guys was loads of fun. Even though since it took place in Minseok's apartment everyone had to be extra careful of their surroundings, they still got to have a proper party. Nearly the entire force of young working staff of the mall came. Dressed up in autumn themed clothes or in various costumes fitting for the event.

With good music in the background a few games were played, but the real deal of the night was the costume competition. Introduced and led by Jongdae who prepared it together with Minseok for everyone, a pathway was created in the living room for each of the competitors to stroll through.

There weren't that many people competing, so whoever came along to watch became a judge instead.

In the end, it was a close call between Baekhyun and Sehun. But Baekhyun took the lead. He dressed as the main character from the most popular movie of the year, while Sehun dressed as a bloodied doctor and only participated because Junmyeon made him show off how well he managed to do his makeup for him.

Chanyeol was lucky he had an appointent with the dental hygienist mere days later to clean up all the possible mess left from the amount of halloween candies he consumed at the party.

The end of November is nearing every day that passes, and Chanyeol is pretty excited for his own birthday.

Not because he has anything planned, but just because he usually enjoys his birthday every year either with his family, with friends, or even both. It's a great time to huddle together and have a wonderful warm meal, play some games, joke around. Chanyeol loves it. His birthdays have always been lucky days for him over the years.

And this year in particular might be even more exciting, since there's a chance that even his sister will come and visit him. She's been away for long months trying to film a documentary about various subjects for her news station reports, and frankly, Chanyeol misses her.

The boys did tell him to make sure the weekend of his birthday stays clear of activities, because apparently they might be working on something for him. Initially, Baekhyun told him, it was supposed to be a surprise. But after they learned that family might be involved with these dates they wanted to make sure everything will still work out for them.

As much as Chanyeol suffers in the cold due to his lanky figure compared to the low body mass, he can't help but adore the fashion. Everything looks so much more comfortable and fluffy. He loves doing the yearly cleanup and bring out all of his oversized hoodies that can finally be utilized for their purpose and not just as pajama covers.

Another bonus with this weather is the fact that not only humans have different fashion styles for different seasons. Because dogs do too. And that means this year will be Toben's first to experience wearing proper cover in the chilly weather.

He was more like treating himself than Toben when he finished his shift one day and went shopping for Toben's brand new outfits, but hey, who cares. He doesn't really need anything himself, and he has nobody of importance to spoil with so much love and affection other than Toben.

It's very common for people to treat their dogs this well, especially in a society that puts so much pressure to every individual towards a certain decided goal which counts of success. The masses just let it pass right by them and live for themselves instead. Which is exactly what Chanyeol's been doing.

 

  
Yes.

Chanyeol's still a coward.

No.

He wasn't able to speak with the boy on the train ever since Dog Day.

No words are being exchanged at all, as day by day the two of them board the train wearing thicker layers to counter the weather's slowly decreasing temperature. The most they do is politely smile at each other, or nod, or wave lightly when entering or leaving the train car and the beginning and ending of each work day.

But there's nothing more.

The boy's still wearing his earphones at all times, Chanyeol's still staring at him at all times. Silently. Vacantly. He's seriously the lamest guy on the train.

It's sad because Chanyeol was able to tell whether or not the boy had a haircut or not, if he missed a spot while shaving or if he woke up later than usual because his eyeslashes were a little lowered than usual.

Maybe he's just being creep at this point, but since he's come to fully accept the fact that their relationship is not going to advance anywhere, or let alone even exist at all, he doesn't even care. The guy will remain a mysterious dream for eternity, and when Chanyeol will be old and wrinkly he'll have a great story to tell about that one guy who swiped him off his feet on the train.

A part of him still feels disappointed because he is spectacularly failing to follow Jongin's words from months ago. Telling him to push forward and go for what his heart is aiming for otherwise the chance might be missed and regretted.

But with this amount of embarrassment he really would rather deal with the regrets when they appear than try and awkwardly interact with this piece of perfection in a human form standing mere steps away from him and gripping onto a metal pole lazily. How ridiculous of a conversation they'd have if Chanyeol actually tried.

Would it be the little adorable moles over the guy's skin that Chanyeol would mention first to wipe his dignity? Or how cute the guy's lips are, or eyes, or the way they turn into sparkling gems he couldn't stop thinking about ever since he saw him smile at his puppies back in august?

All of these options sound like the perfect way to end whatever might be between them before it even begins.

And it's frustrating. Because Chanyeol is not bad with people. He's damn good with handling people. He's a crowd pleaser, an attraction of his own, a sweet talker and a fantastic flirt if he's willing to be. He'd keep crowds entertained for hours on end and still receive people's numbers when the night's over.

Then why? Why out of everyone in the world the one person Chanyeol actually willingly wants to talk to keeps his feet stuck in the ground like a sink hole? Why won't his mind work properly and smoothly like it does at any other situation that could happen?

Ah. It seemed like even though Chanyeol did convince his head to give up, his heart's not letting him rest.

His poetic cheesy personality wants to make him feel like he's a part of some romantic drama where he fell in love with the beautiful lad on first sight, but their worlds will continue tearing them apart further away with every passing day.

But his logical practical personality wants to make him push through this layer of awkwardness and unknown sentiments and simply go for the goal. The blinking glow of a heart shaped bubble above his target's head.

Wait, was that the cheesy side or the logical side just now? Ugh, Chanyeol can't even make the difference anymore.

He was hopeless, yet kept hoping for a miracle to happen and connect them one more time.

Initiating anything is out of the question, but if by any chance fate will bring them into another interaction, Chanyeol would seize his chance for sure. He's so ready to pounce on and get the job done. Or is he?

This conflict was endless, is endless, and will continue being endless until the moment one of the following things will happen; Chanyeol stops riding the train, or the boy stops riding the train. And he wishes for both of these to happen, and neither, at the same time.

 

  
Chanyeol is excited.

Well, was excited. Very eagerly looking forward to the date of his birthday right before the weekend, because he knew it will end up being great. Anything his friends would plan while thinking of him would be great, because just the thought of them spending the time to prepare anything with him in mind already made him happy.

So, he was excited.

Until he woke up four days before his birthday with a fever.

He stayed home to rest for the last two days, in which during that period of time the guys have announced they'll be delaying the birthday plans to somewhere in the future to allow Chanyeol a full proper recovery from the illness.

Which was technically a good thing, because that way Chanyeol wouldn't have to go anywhere while feeling so unwell, and he wouldn't be walking around like a ticking bomb of germs between each of his sneezes. Plus, it's not like they cancelled the plans entirely, just pushed it back until further notice upon Chanyeol's health condition.

And now, with his birthday coming close as two days ahead, he woke up with the worst stuffed nose ever.

It's fine even if he wouldn't be able to spend the day of his birthday doing anything fun, not on the weekend either. His friends and family wanting him to be healthy and recover quickly is just as heartwarming as them wanting to take him out for his special day.

Whatever sickness he had caught was really strong at the first couple of days, grounding him to bed for most of the day other than the times his sister called him and forced him to eat in front of her in face-time.

But today the fever was gone, and his body felt way stronger than it did the previous days. Which was perfect, because he had work today. No more sick leave days were left in Chanyeol's stock because he used most of them for vacations during the year itself. Soon enough it'll be christmas anyway, too.

So it's not strong enough to keep him stuck in bed, but enough for him to need to wear a mask when he's outside, and make sure that he has a proper supply of tissue paper with him at all times.

When at work he remained with the mask on his face and barely spoke. Not only to the customers, but barely his coworkers either. He stayed at the back room most of the day and did other useful things like counting supplies and doing necessary paperwork. Clearly, the store wouldn't want to risk him having any of the instruments infected with his sickly fingers.

No, not really. Chanyeol simply wasn't fully healthy and standing up to go around and convince customers he's got what they need was too tiring, so he did everything other than that for the day.

Even the breaks were spent inside. At the moment it'd start he'd rush to the cafeteria and get two cups of tea instead of one, drink it along with his self made sandwich for lunch and then attempt to nap for the rest of his free time to recharge his energy.

He might have been seen as suffering by the others, but he didn't feel mistreated at all. If anything, it was pretty calming to work quietly and focus on one thing at a time instead of stretching all over the store like an octopus on regaular days to make sure nobody does anything wrong to any tool.

Baekhyun and Yixing came through with their kindness on this day, because even though they live on the other side of the city, Yixing offered to give Chanyeol a ride back home so he could stay warm and cosy with the car's heating system instead of freezing his nose off on the journey to the train station.

It was strange to return home that way. Mostly because he wondered whether or not the boy he saw glimsing in his direction in the morning noticed he was gone.

 

  
Now, a day before his birthday, he was standing in the train and holding onto the handle hanging from the ceiling. A mask over his mouth and nose, and a beanie covering his head and top of the ears instead of letting them pop out like usual.

Wearing many layers and keeping warm is the best recipe to recover back to health after all.

But he has to admit to himself that he probably did look super miserable with the big scarf dangling at the front and his coat's zipper closed up until the very top. If to judge by the way his old lady friend kept looking at him when he stepped into the train car.

He remained standing with his eyes closed all through the first part of the travel until the first stop came by. He wasn't too worried about staying balanced because as long as he keeps holding onto the handle there's no reason for him to fall. The train isn't bumpy enough for him to lose his ground.

Plus, he wasn't even that tired, he took good care of himself to get healthy again, so rather than exhaustion he simply wanted to let his eyes rest a little longer before the day begins and he'd have to occupy his brain with more stimulation.

Slowly he started becoming aware of himself again when the train continued on from the station it stopped at. A sneeze was creeping up his nose, but letting it out would be way too rude and disrespectful to anybody else on the train. So he had to fight himself in order to hold it back and keep it in until it's his time to leave.

Successfully, he kept his eyes shut through the journey.

Only when something started tugging to his coat at some point in the ride he finally opened them, surprised to see the one and only boy standing right in front of him and gently holding onto his coat. Looking up at him with big worried eyes through the round adorable glasses.

He too, had a large scarf around his neck, and wore a black padded coat that made him look like a little marshmellow when standing this close to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol's heart skipped a beat at the unexpected sight unveiled under his eyes.

"Hey, are you alright?"

The dude asked softly, in a quiet caring tone that showed honest concern. Aww, is... Is he worried about Chanyeol's well being?

"Huh? Oh... Yeah."

Chanyeol replied in a tired stuffy voice. He felt warm inside from the thought but in his state even he couldn't get too excited about being talked to by the only person on planet earth he has problems talking with normally.

Really, he should be more thrilled from this exchange, it means the dude actually does care for him to a certain degree. His heart is beating a little quicker, but being unable to breathe from his nose is a pretty big bummer to any situation.

After answering Chanyeol saw how the guy bit down on his lip with worry, and then he started to... Push against his coat? It was gentle pushes of course, but why?

With a raised eyebrow and a lot of confusion he stared down at the little man trying to make him step back, but he didn't budge from his spot regardless. There's plenty of space for the dude to stand at, why does he have to push against Chanyeol who's already having other challenges to deal with?

After a few attemps the guy stopped and let out a little huff of air before turning to look back up at Chanyeol's face, and gesturing to something located behind him.

"There's a free spot to sit right here."

Huh?

 

 

Chanyeol turned his head around just enough to glance behind himself, and was pretty surprised to discover that indeed, this entire time he didn't even realize there was a free place for him to sit on.

Then he started turning his entire body towards the seat, slowly and lazily, but instead of sitting down he just stared down at the spot in a sort of daze.

Did the guy really come over just to tell him about it? Wouldn't it make more sense if the boy would just sit down himself? Why would he point it out to Chanyeol instead? There are other people standing and holding the handles in this car.

"You should sit."

His soft voice worked on Chanyeol like some sort of magic, and mindlessly he found himself sitting down and huffing some air out of his lungs with a mix of relief from the sitting position but frustration from his bodily state of being ill.

He didn't even hesitate to follow the guy's instruction. But when his brain started functioning again he realized just how much of a selfless act it was of him to let Chanyeol know about the free seat instead of sitting himself.

"Thanks."

Chanyeol mumbled pretty helplessly in his hoarse voice, but with honest gratitude, and then slumped down in the seat while keeping his legs close to stay in a small contained position. As much as his body could. Since he is a large guy and he knew he shouldn't be rude and possibly take a lot of space.

The passenger sitting beside him didn't seem to mind. Also wearing a mask to cover their mouth and nose. Well, it makes sense with this weather.

Now though, he had one of the most peculiar views.

The boy was standing in front of him, looking extremely adorable because of the way he raised his arm to hold onto the handle hanging from the ceiling. Clearly he was a little uncomfortable from the position, but he didn't move.

The scarf was being pushed upwards and covered his chin together with a raise of the entire coat over his body. And from Chanyeol's angle, he truly did look like a cute marshmellow man who struggles to grab onto the harness.

It was amusing, so for once he felt lucky to have this mask on his face to hide the little smile the creeped up his lips.

But more than anything, Chanyeol was thankful. Because he saw how the guy remained standing there despite the difficulty, just to make sure none of the other standing passengers will get any closer and possibly bother Chanyeol in his spot. He was getting squished by a few of the people in the train, but didn't utter a word nor looked bothered by it just to provide Chanyeol with a little bit of personal space.

It was quiet for a little bit between the stop stations, and Chanyeol closed his eyes again. Trying not to think of the fact that the boy is so damn adorable, and standing so damn close right in front of him. So close that their knees kept brushing together from time to time with the sway of the train's movement.

How on earth is he supposed to not think about it when this guy is the only thing that takes over his brain every single time he is located anywhere near trains?

At this moment he really, really wants to hug him, snuggle him close and fall asleep with the cutie in his arms.

Chanyeol already gave in. There's no point denying that his interest in the guy is stronger than he had ever imagined it'd be.

 

  
While fantasizing about how comfortable it'd feel to huddle together with this boy somewhere warm and cosy, he kept having to sniff in in an attempt to try and stop the snot stuffing his nose. He hates this so much.

He got tired of it at some point, and instinctively slid a hand into his pocket to get the tissues out. He could easily go aside for a moment and blow his nose privately, without feeling like he's harming anybody in the train. The dude would keep the spot available for him, right? He informed Chanyeol of his seat avilability to begin with.

So with his hand slithering into the pocket he will solve this uncomfortable situation, but, something is missing. The tissues aren't there.

Unalarmed, Chanyeol slid his other hand into the other pocket. Nothing there. He searched through his jeans' pockets next, then the back pockets, and the inner pockets of his hoodie under the coat.

His eyes opened at some point, and he started panicking in the search of nonexistent tissues for a few long lasting moments until he gave up on the fruitless efforts.

Did... Did he leave the pack on the counter? He was getting ready this morning and even placing a brand new unopened pack of tissues there just to pick it up before leaving the apartment for work, but he was distracted by Toben's cheerful morning greets and probably forgot it there.

He was just so disoriented in the morning with his health state and all.

Well, what can he do. He's doomed now. He'll have to wait until the end of the ride not only to sneeze but to purchase a new pack of tissues in order to wipe himself clean too.

With a long heavy exhale he shut his eyes with disappointment. Slumping down even further in his seat and feeling the way his eyesbrows stress on his forehead from the sadness and self pity he's engulfed in. Who cares, he's allowed to be self pitying in such a situation.

Another nudge to his body was felt that moment. Something gentle pushing lightly against his coat from the front.

When he opened his eyes to see what it is, he found the boy looking down at him this time. A half empty packet of tissues was held up towards him. Soft, cute squeezed lips beneath round, curious warm eyes were poking out from the scarf that's covering the guy's chin, and Chanyeol felt his soul ascend.

A few seconds of staring at the tissue paper later, he grabbed onto it and pulled one out, holding against himself with two fingers.

"Thank you so much... Again."

He muffled behind the mask, seeing how the guy's lips curved upwards into a smile of comfort and encouragement. So much sympathy, poor kid must know how it is to be sick like this with no tissue in the horizon.

"No problem."

Then Chanyeol hurled himself sideways to the corner that meets with the wall of the train, lowered his mask and blew his nose clean before covering up again and sliding the used tissue into a small plastic container he had in the front section of his backpack.

For a moment he wondered whether or not the guy was actually looking at him when he did his business, because he knows for a fact that it was not a pretty sight with his red nose and chapped lips from being forced to breathe through the mouth for the last few days. But oh well, doesn't matter now. He's just thankful for the relief.

Chanyeol really was saved.

Not only with the tissue itself, but before too, when being given the free seat. Who knew this dude would take care of him so well twice in the same day, in a short span of about ten minutes.

He doesn't know what would be proper to give or do in return, because nothing comes for free and after being treated with so much genuine kindness Chanyeol can't help but want to pay back the favour somehow. It's only natural.

His mind automatically started sliding towards a territory he would rather not cross. Stupid strings of actions like giving the guy his number and calling it a gift, or asking him for one last favour to get his phone number, asking him to pay back with a coffee date, and various other embarrassing scenarios of him trying to be flirtatious with the boy kept playing in his head.

None of these would work, he knows. It'd be way too humiliating to execute in public like this. So he had to think of another way to turn things around and make them equal.

 

  
Chanyeol knew what he had to do.

When he slid back to his proper position in front of the guy, he stood up right against his body at once. His hand skillfully railed up to grab onto the handle the dude was holding, and with his other arm around the shorter's coat covered waist, he twirled them around so that the boy would basically fall into the seat in his stead.

He earned a gasp from him, and from a few of the other seated passangers who saw how swiftly he was able to complete the action without any flaws in the process. Or at least he hoped it looked as cool as he thought it would.

Uh oh.

The boy looked surprised up at Chanyeol, who was going through a crisis. How is it even possible to look like this? It couldn't be just the angle? He looks so small and fluffy with his little nose and parted lips and wide eyes and the scarf and oh god.

A few moments of his heart racing bullets later, Chanyeol finally smiled down at the precious person from under the mask.

"It's the least I can do for the tissue."

Was the obvious explanation as to why he spun them so heroically around so that the dude could sit in his place.

After seeing the small thankful and charming smile the guy gave him in return for the gesture, he shut his eyes and remained standing in front of him. There was something comforting yet apologetic in the way he smiled, maybe it's just because he feels bad for taking a sick man's spot. Or again, simply sympathizes with his situation.

Either way Chanyeol provided a sort of protective wall between the boy and the rest of the passangers, or the world really. He is so large compared to anything and anyone else, that he is automatically given more space than the dude who got squeezed when attempting to keep a safe space around him before.

It came naturally for Chanyeol to do, but also from the principle of wanting to return the same sort of treatment he received. If the dude did it for him with so much difficulty, the least he can do is the same thing. Except with way less squeezing and discomforts like the shorter had to suffer. He deserves just as much.

Chanyeol almost started drifting into the world in his head again, where he played different situations in which he succeeds charming the boy into giving him his number in one flirty way or another. This is horribly embarrassing, which is why he did it only deeply inside his own head space. It's not like he's thinking of anything naughty or negative, so it shouldn't cause any bodily effects on him from the outside.

But a little zipping noise distracted him a little from his own world, it came right underneath him. Probably from the boy's bag.

Moments later he already forgot about the noise and tried to fall back into his own imagination where he succeeds showing his affection to this guy without reality's obstacles.

But something is pressing against his body. And it's not just the way their knees are brushing due to the train's movement. It's pushed against the center of his coat, at his stomach. Confused, but not alarmed, since only the guy himself has access to touch this part of his body, he opened his eyes.

The boy was smiling up at him and holding up a brand new closed pack of tissues.

"Just in case."

He said gently, a soft spoken voice that Chanyeol wouldn't mind hearing for the rest of his life.

His heart literally jumped inside his chest. He was so flattered and grateful for this offering, because otherwise he would have had to buy a pack himself when leaving the station, and that would really suck to puchase at the mall since it's way more expensive than necessary there.

"Oh... Wow. You're saving me here... Thank you."

Chanyeol nodded calmly and sent yet another smile at the man from under his mask. Seeing the way the guy half chuckled to himself was a good indicator to know that his smile was noticeable. But not too exposed, because he knew there's no way his blushing cheeks are showing. Probably.

He brought his free hand to the other and took the pack, gently brushing their fingers together in the process accidentally. It didn't seem to affect the guy, but it sure sent tingles of surprise through his own nervous system. So to make sure he kept his head cool he slid the pack into his pocket and kept looking down at the boy fondly.

Because he is fond. This boy is kind, lovely, soft and so impossibly cute that he feels like bursting from happiness simply being able to stand this close to him.

 

  
Now is his chance.

The moment he was waiting for all these months. The perfect opportunity to open something up between him and the man. Anything. A conversation, an exchange of jokes, a high five, silly faces, something.

He cannot let this chance pass and slip by like he let all the previous ones cross him unbothered.

"Say--- Uhm..."

Chanyeol began, but his entire body entered the peak of stress right after uttering the first sound. So he got stuck in the middle. Whatever line of thought he had in his head is now gone, flew away with the wind that doesn't even blow inside this car.

His eyes were still locked with the boy's, but he was experiencing a mini moment of shock inside.

Shit. He's making a fool of himself already. Is this chance going to get spoiled as well? Really? After all these months he hasn't been able to move himself to do anything about his own wish to communicate with the boy, he's suddenly stopped by his own unexplained bodily functions. Or dysfunctions in this situation.

Come on Chanyeol. Pull yourself together. Just say what you want to say. Just go for it. Like Jongin told you to do!

Is how he tried to light up some drive to act in himself. There's the will, now he just needs to put it to practice and express it.

"Kyungsoo."

The boy said, and blinked his eyes a few times. Chanyeol was staring at him with so much unintentional focus that he could see exactly how his lashes flutter up and down with each blink.

He was speechless for some time. Because he really seriously didn't expect this would be the way he'd learn his name. Originally he wanted to find it out in a cool way, like with a smooth flirt line or a sneaky smirk.

But now the guy just said it and all he can think about is how cute of a name to fit such cute of a man. Even if he would have tried Chanyeol wouldn't be able to come up with a better fitting name for him.

"My name is Kyungsoo."

The man repeated once again, and just then Chanyeol realized he was staring at him in silence this whole time while his mind was still about a minute behind in delay from the unexpected new brick of information he didn't plan to learn that way.

So finally, Chanyeol snapped himself out of the shock.

He took a breath in with his eyes shut to recollect his internal chaos, then locked the gaze back with, now, Kyungsoo.

"And I'm Chanyeol. Nice to meet you. Well, officially meet you, that is."

Why does nothing ever go as planned when Chanyeol gets himselves involved with anything regarding this boy?

"I'm sorry about..."

Chanyeol added while raising his free hand to gesture towards his own face and mask and all of the fact that he is actually sick right when finally making the official greetings with the guy who's been occupying more hours in his life than he imagined he would, rolling his eyes with self implied disappointment.

But then he heard Kyungsoo's soft laughter bubble up into his ears and soothing his heart.

"A pleasure to meet you too. And it's fine, winter can be merciless."

Kyungsoo comforted him with another warm and calm smile. He looked so soft and adorable, his cheeks looked just a tad more pink than before. Or maybe it's just Chanyeol's own eyes blushing along with his entire covered blushing face from seeing such a pure sight sitting in front of him.

It was silent for several seconds, the two of them just kind of hopped between looking into each other's eyes or looking right beside them to avoid awkwardness, but it was kind of inevitable at this point.

"I know it might sound weird but we've been riding this line together a lot and... We probably live pretty close to each other. Haha."

Chanyeol broke the silence off with this strange statement. Trying to pull off his most contained, friendly tone he could manage out of his very present nervousness. Is he already being creepy enough to push Kyungsoo away?

From the way the boy's eyes opened wider to look at him with surprise could be quite a good reason to believe that yes, Chanyeol did indeed just sabotage his own one and only chance to fulfill his wish.

He prepared himself to hear some creeped out statements and awkward laughters that request more space and distance.

"Oh, I thought I was the only one who noticed... I mean, sort of. I board after you in the morning and leave before you in the evening, so I could only assume."

Kyungsoo replied while averting his eyes sideways and rubbing the back of his head. Is... Is he getting shy? Because if that's the case then Chanyeol's heart really wouldn't be able to handle this for much longer.

This is seriously one of the cutest things Chanyeol has ever seen in his life. The way his lips quiver a little into a shaky smile, and what he now is sure is blush coating his soft looking cheeks.

 

  
This is it. This is the moment.

With a wave of new found bravery Chanyeol inhaled some air and focused down on the boy sitting in the seat originally given to him by the boy.

"Do you--- Uh... I have a weird proposition for you. Feel free to decline,"

He began again, and tightened the grip on the handle he's grabbing onto from the ceiling. And there it went. The little bit of courage that helped him start is gone again.

So he started gesturing with his free hand, hoping that somehow whatever he's showing would make sense combined with what he's saying.

"...My birthday is tomorrow and since I'm sick I can't go out. My friends live on the other side of town and---... Uh... Do you... Want to maybe come over and watch a movie with me? Or Just chill, or... Uhm."

Somewhere along the line Chanyeol lost his eye contact with Kyungsoo. Too nervous to be able to maintain it throughout his short awkward speech.

His heart was beating fast, because even Chanyeol himself hasn't realized that what he just said really left from his own mouth. He never really planned to ask any of this at all, it just came out naturally somehow. From the depths of his own hopeful self probably. Or maybe his hopeless romantic self.

No, not romantic. He has no such intentions with the boy at all. Now after offering such a suggestion he kind of likes the idea of it becoming reality. Wouldn't it be cool if they'd spend the day hanging out with a movie? Or the evening, at least.

But the fact that he actually really just did ask Kyungsoo this question, knowing very well that they have spent a total of maybe five minutes or less actually communicating through these many long months of travelling together nearly every single day, is nerve wrecking.

Was his creepy weird obsession with this boy just exposed in the worst way possible? Well, it isn't that bad. He simply likes him a lot.

Wait, what?

Simply likes him a lot? Since when did Chanyeol even decide that he likes him at all?

When Chanyeol finally made eye contact with Kyungsoo again, there was only surprise on his face. Which sent Chanyeol back into the spiraling panic of his own mind.

He definitely crossed the line. This is literally the first time they actually talked between them about anything other than a few words about dogs, and he stuttered too much. And Kyungsoo is just so cute and doesn't deserve to be given the option of spending a day with a sick guy while he can enjoy his weekend instead.

Ugh. Chanyeol's mind feels like it's being driven over by a roadroller covered in pointy nails.

His heart plummeted down to the pit of his stomach, and he averted his eyes downwards. Feeling both worried and ashamed that he had possibly caused any sort of misunderstanding or even harm with his odd suggestion.

He even started leaning backwards a little so he could step back and give Kyungsoo more space in case he'd want to stand up and leave the spot right there, just to stay away from anywhere near Chanyeol's entire existence.

 

  
But Kyungsoo didn't move.

So Chanyeol tried to brave through the fear that coated his mind, and raised his eyes to look at the boy again. Only to find out that he was smiling up at him with warmth, and even a little bit of what looks like excitement.

A cellphone was held in his hand up in the air towards Chanyeol's direction.

When their eyes finally met in a gaze he waved the phone lightly and pushed it further towards him.

"I'm going to need your number for that to happen."

He grinned up at Chanyeol victoriously, revealing a wider smile than he had seen before, a smile that's almost as wide as that one time when he laughed whole heartedly when talking about the dogs.

In an instant, Chanyeol felt the blood speed up in his veins with happiness, excitement, and mostly astonishment. Everything about him is so beautiful.

Wait a minute, he needs Chanyeol's number? Does that mean he agrees to the offer? Does it mean Chanyeol got outsmarted into giving his number instead of asking for Kyungsoo's own?

Oh, definitely.

But it doesn't matter even one bit, he'd trade his unnecessary pride with the joy of getting asked for his number by Kyungsoo any day.

In quick enthusiastic movements Chanyeol shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out his own phone. The two exchanged devices, tapped down their numbers and switched back, each phone to its rightful owner.

Chanyeol was actually so excited from the new set of plans he somehow managed to get them into, and immediately checked the contact Kyungsoo added for himself. He scrolled through his list expectantly, until he stumbled upon the only name he didn't recognize in the correct location.

Contacts under: H.  
\- 'Happy birthday from Kyungsoo ^^'

His hands began trembling with just how much affection started overflowing inside his body, drowning him in warmth and admiration.

When he turned to look at Kyungsoo again, visibly surprised from the name he chose for his contact number, the boy was looking away from him. Strong and obvious blush decorated his cute cheeks and tips of his ears, a tiny shaking smile squeezed between his shut lips.

Chanyeol thanked every lord he knew at that moment. Finally, even within all the lack of luck that surrounded him for the past few days, or even months, fate was shining down on him in the form of a new hope, and a new adorable contact on his cellphone.

He was so distracted by his own happiness and unofficial prayers of gratefulness for his good luck, that he didn't even realize Kyungsoo was already leaving the train. Stepping out of the car and sneaking a small cheerful smile in Chanyeol's direction before exiting.

Chanyeol was ready to continue on his way, until he heard the warning about the train's departure from the station that he himself has to leave at.

After a short shocked gasp he dashed with all his might out of the train, escaping the closing metal automatic doors just in time before getting squeezed alive in the evil mechanism. For a moment he had to hold onto his own chest just to focus on breathing after knowing he just avoided a possible painful death.

Kyungsoo was nowhere in sight again.

 

  
Chanyeol kept day dreaming at work that day.

It was almost undetectable though, because with the mask covering half of his face and the general vacant look in his eyes and lack of concentration due to begin sick, it's hard to tell whether he's even aware of his surroundings at all.

He was caught by Baekhyun eventually, a while after they returned to work after lunch break. Chanyeol was sitting in the back room, filing papers with numbers and details of little wind instruments that need to be sent for repair at their original manufacturing companies, when according to Baekhyun, he entred and saw him stare at the wall in front of him blankly for an entire minute.

"So what is it?"

The eager one asked him while letting his body fall beside him on the stair stool Chanyeol had occupied in order to comfortably go through contents of boxes.

"Remember that guy I told you about months ago? The one on the train?"

Chanyeol was a little surprised to hear just how hoarse his own voice had become after not using it for so many hours of working. Or in this case, day dreaming.

"Oooh! Of course I do! Any news on that end?"

Baekhyun inquired with sparked interest and a wide curious grin that looked more like an evil smirk than anything friendly and harmless. Chanyeol already knew what's coming. If he dares to expose too much the entire working staff at the mall will know about every word he said.

With a sigh of suspicion and doubt Chanyeol glanced at his friend, pouting underneath the mask.

"I got his number, and no, I'm not telling you his name. You'll turn it into torture."

Well, that's not entirely true. Because the boy actually outsmarted him and got his number, not the other way around. But who cares about these little details. Chanyeol got what he wanted and both of them were pleased with the result.

Baekhyun's eyes widened in their sockets before he jumped up from the stool in an excited leap and threw his arms up in the air victoriously.

"Waaaa!! Nice one dude, took you long enough but you finally did it!"

Chanyeol rolled his eyes dismissively, but seeing the way Baekhyun started doing silly little celebratory dances in front of him in the little back room cracked him up into laughter after all. He's thankful for Baekhyun's support. The guy's really a wonderful friend, and Chanyeol's happy to receive his approval even if it's over such small things.

"You have to introduce us at the moment any action starts happening, yes? I have to see the dude for myself to know if he's worthy of you my man."

His friend then stopped dancing and pointed his finger directly in Chanyeol's face, mere centimeters away from touching the spot right between his eyes. Calling his demands.

Another laughter left Chanyeol before he finally managed to calm Baekhyun down from this state of a hype. Shutting him up by claiming there won't be any issues or disappointements at all in this case.

It brought back the memories of when Baekhyun first met Chanyeol's ex girlfriend.

Right after their first meeting together Baekhyun pulled him aside and told him there was something odd about the girl, something that doesn't allow him to rely on her words and actions at all. As if she's here, but also somewhere else in her mind, maybe even with someone else.

When Chanyeol found out she was cheating on him he had a massive deja vu to that moment. It's almost as if Baekhyun was able to see the future, or maybe just see beyond what Chanyeol's innocence and naivity couldn't comprehend because of his crowd pleasing personality.

Well, before he brings the boy anywhere near his hyper friends, Chanyeol needs to make sure he even wants to do anything with him at all.

He felt pretty selfish for the fact that their first meeting out of the train will happen in sick Chanyeol's place, because in all honesty it's a terrible first date. But then again, he was the one who suggested it, so he should take the responsibility and at least try to turn it into something they could still enjoy and remember on a positive note.

Chanyeol left work earlier than usual that day, and as expected, didn't see Kyungsoo on the train on his way back.

Only later on, after Chanyeol had already showered and prepared to spend the rest of the evening slumped with Toben in front of the television, Kyungsoo came through and messaged him. Telling him he couldn't see him on the train and if he's feeling alright, and up for tomorrow's plans.

It made Chanyeol's heart go soft. Kyungsoo is such a wonderful person. It only raised the amount of guilt he felt from turning his ill-filled birthday into their first date. Is it a date? Chanyeol should take it as one, so he will stop feeling guilty and start taking it more seriously.

 

  
Chanyeol had no work on his birthday.

It doesn't count as a day off either, it's just an unspoken rule between the bosses and the workers of the mall that birthdays are free. They just automatically come with the advantage of not needing to come to work.

Which really, was perfect for Chanyeol. Because he had the entire day to clean up and place before Kyungsoo will come in the evening.

It's twice as hard to clean around when he's sick, but then again, Chanyeol is fairly clean in general. His apartment might not be in proper order, but the mess itself as logic. And even when it's messy it's never dirty, at least.

He always makes sure to clean. Not only for his own benefit but also for his loved pup's benefit too. His fellow resident of honor.

So without draining himself too hard, bit by bit he put his apartment in shape. Surely they wouldn't go anywhere other than the living room, kitchen, and probably toilet. So these three spaces were his main focus. Only when he left them speckless he proceeded by attempting to organize his own bedroom, but gave up halfway through and fell into an unexpectedly long nap instead.

The sun was already setting when Chanyeol opened his eyes again. Which means whatever plans he had to possibly cook anything nice for the two of them would have to be scrapped for today.

Instead he focused this time on himself. Got clean and changed to a fresh pajama suit. He is sick, he has an excuse to not having prepared any food for them. They could just order something instead. Geez, what a host he is. A host of an actual date no less.

The evening came, painting the sky from orange and red to purple and blue. And Toben began barking at the moment Chanyeol could hear the elevator's door shutting after someone had left it on his floor.

Very easily, since Toben is a well behaved pup, Chanyeol calmed him down and picked him up in his arms as if carrying a pillow under his arm. Toben went quiet and started wagging his tail in excitement as Chanyeol made it to his own apartment's door. A few knocks were heard, too.

He shut his eyes, inhaled, exhaled, and then unlocked and opened the door.

In front of him stood Kyungsoo, looking up at him with his big eyes behind the round glasses, his pretty lips and his adorable padded coat. He was also holding a large bag in both his hands. A smile quickly spread across his lips when Chanyeol's eyes were met with his.

"Happy birthday Chanyeol!"

He called, setting a wave of warmth wash over Chanyeol's body from the inside, and also bringing Toben's excitement back to life as he barked a few times in an attempt to escape Chanyeol's hold and greet their guest with honor.

 

  
The boy was led inside and Chanyeol finally freed Toben to roam when the apartment's door closed and Kyungsoo's coat was hanging nearby. Before even starting a conversation, Kyungsoo kneeled down on the floor and spread his arms towards Toben, who sniffed the tips of his fingers for a little bit, just to build the anticipation before running right into his arms and showering him with nuzzles and licks.

Wow.

If Toben adores Kyungsoo this much, Chanyeol almost feels left out from the fun.

When back on his feet, the boy explained how he didn't have that much time after work, so he apologized if any of what he brought wasn't particularly good.

Confused, Chanyeol watched how he placed the large bag on the kitchen's counter and unpacked it. Placing a large sealed put on one side, and a slightly smaller circular plastic container beside it.

"Hey, don't peek just yet."

Kyungsoo then pouted in his direction with a teasing smile.

"A-Ahh, sorry."

Chanyeol turned around immediately, his heart beating at least twice as fast as normal ever since the moment Kyungsoo came by. He heard his own fridge's door opening and closing, and then his stove being sparked up into working, before hearing Kyungsoo's laughter and reassurance that he can, in fact, turn back around, since it was just a joke.

Kyungsoo made himself feel at home really quickly, and Chanyeol felt how relieved he is from that fact, rather than nervous. He was more nervous to actually have a conversation with Kyungsoo, afraid that his heart will burst, than he was about worrying whether Kyungsoo will enter his bedroom and see the mess.

But after spending some time sitting and chatting calmly in the living room, even though Chanyeol's stuffed nose he was able to smell the homey scent of good soup floating around the apartment. He didn't know what was in Kyungsoo's pot, until that smell engulfed him and made his tummy rumble.

And when Kyungsoo forced him to remain sitting while searching through his entire kitchen to find bowls and spoons, just to serve the soup to him without straining his ill body, something in his mind just clicked.

At that moment Chanyeol just knew.

He knew that from now on he will be treasuring this guy for life. Really, who else on earth would agree to come visit him, sick, on his birthday, with chicken soup? Even his best friends couldn't come over today.

Toben, who usually feels restless whenever Chanyeol has guests around even if he knows them well, was incredibly relaxed and laid back. Especially when Kyungsoo pulled him up on his lap to huddle comfortably as the two of them were discussing which movie to watch.

The soup was delicious, and Chanyeol felt as if he was healed already. He needed to use the tissues again only when an emotional scene in the movie came on screen and choked him up uncontrollably. Great first impression Chanyeol. Crying over a movie.

Internally, he was scolding himself for letting Kyungsoo see him in this state, because not only did he make him come over while being sick, now he's going to be ugly after crying too?

Except, when he turned to see what kind of reaction his guest has to the movie, he was surprised to discover the tears didn't belong only to him.

The two of them then caught each other sniffle and wipe away the stream of salty drops with tissues before laughing and choosing to watch a comedy as their second movie for the day.

It felt warm, and cosy, and calm. To sit like this, huddled with Toben, with blankets and pillows and popcorn that Chanyeol brought them both. At some point they even spreaded over the couch and Kyungsoo allowed his own legs to rest on top of Chanyeol's. Neither of them minded. It was pleasant.

After their second movie Kyungsoo brought out the second item he had in his bag when he came. A cake. So they happily set a symbolic candle, and Chanyeol got to blow it while wishing. His wish clearly consisting of health and good fortune. And maybe a little bit more Kyungsoo in his life.

Kyungsoo refused to take the leftover soup and cake back home, telling Chanyeol that if he will continue eating them during the weekend, surely he will be healthy in no time. It wasn't really a date, Chanyeol knew it, but from the way his heart and mind were spinning over Kyungsoo it almost felt like one.

Kyungsoo congratulated Chanyeol for his birthday again, even giving him a careful gentle hug before leaving.

A little bit of Chanyeol's soul left with him. He is whipped.

Just like Kyungsoo had predicted, by the end of the weekend, Chanyeol was back in perfect health.

 

  
\--

 

  
Chanyeol's birthday wishes came true.

He's healthy again.

Woke up fresh and energized on monday morning. Ready to start the week. The week of him now healthily speaking with Kyungsoo without fear or awkwardness. It's the least he owes him for the magical healing soup and spectacular cake that lasted through the entire weekend to munch on more than twice a day.

To bring a person back to health the only successful recipe is to make them happy with sugar and delicious goods, it seems.

Of course he had to inform his newly found friend about the good condition of his body, together with a cheerful 'Good morning' greeting and maybe one too many sparkle emojis. But Kyungsoo responded nearly immediately with a thumb up emojis and really, that's all it took to bring Chanyeol's mood up to the sky.

He walked Toben with a lot of energy, half jogging effortlessly almost, then with the bare minimum of attention to his appearance, he dressed up and left the apartment out to the train station.

Honestly, he couldn't wait to see Kyungsoo again and tell him all about how his soup and cake restored Chanyeol's life back to order, also to thank him for the wonderful birthday celebration. He would have thanked him for existing too, probably, at some point. Because Chanyeol is known for having trouble keeping his mouth shut when something sparks his interest.

And recently, Kyungsoo IS his interest.

Now that they are friends, does it mean all of the months he spent creepily watching the boy board and leave the train almost every single day are erased from the beginning of his terrible reputation? Has Kyungsoo ever noticed?

Mongmool and Hoochu, Kyungsoo's parents' dogs, aren't anywhere near ever since Dog Day. But it shouldn't be the end of Kyungsoo's experience with dogs. Not when Toben is a whole puppy ready to be pet.

Of course, Chanyeol's mind jumped back to the first time they've spoken to each other. But really, maybe he should take Kyungsoo's love for dogs to his advantage. It might not be his familiar pups, but Toben's close enough, right? Mongmool and him could basically be siblings for all he knows.

If Chanyeol will ever need an excuse to bring Kyungsoo over, it'd be easy to win over by bringing out his secret dog weapon for extra conviction.

Actually, now after he boarded the train and came to hold the handle at his usual spot, Chanyeol realized a great idea for the two of them to meet again would be an offer to join for a walk in the nearby park.

Since they've established that the two of them don't live that far apart from each other, meeting up should be easy for them to settle and discuss. Ah, Chanyeol's seriously so lucky. He felt so warm and yet shy inside that a few of the passangers, including his old lady friend chuckled lightly from the way he didn't even realize his hand was clenching his own coat over the chest dramatically.

With a playful wink the old lady sent Chanyeol a shape of a heart with her fingers, and that was the end of the acting career he never intended to have on the train.

 

  
The train arrived at its first stop, and Chanyeol's stomach started getting giddy inside. His eyes stuck on the automatic doors of the train, waiting for them to open up so he could greet Kyungsoo with a wide smile as he steps into the car.

Except, when finally a shorter person stepped inside, he was wearing a beanie and a mask himself. So it took Chanyeol about a second longer to recognize it was him.

Kyungsoo's eyes looked tired behind the glasses, he didn't raise his eyes from the floor of the train until his arm was hooked around the pole to secure himself a stable position. That's when he finally looked up at Chanyeol, who must have looked incredibly worried from the way the boy's eyes shifted from the surprise to the smile.

He looked adorably miserable and if Chanyeol had the urge to hug him before, now it only became louder and harder to resist.

Without hesitating Chanyeol let go of his usual handle and placed himself right next to Kyungsoo, holding the harness the boy was not bothering with.

"Morning, what's up with you? Are you okay?"

Chanyeol no longer had the fear or anxiety to speak with him anymore. Not after crying together in front of Chanyeol's television from a silly movie. Nothing is more bonding than that.

Kyungsoo on the other hand just smiled lightly up at him, or at least Chanyeol thought he did, since all he could see were the crescent shape of his eyes due to the rest of his face being hidden under the mask.

"I'm okay. Got sick myself... Haha. I guess I wasn't careful enough."

His voice sounded softer than what Chanyeol remembered it to be, quieter too, he must be straining a little to speak.

"Damn... I'm really sorry about that."

He did feel bad, because not only was he the sick one, he was also the one who invited Kyungsoo over into his sickly den to begin with. What foolishness is that? If sick Jongdae would invite him over there's no way he'd agree to come.

Ahh, he really messed up this time.

"I wanted to thank you for the soup, and the cake. Whatever magic you put in them is the reason I'm healthy again. They were so delicious too."

Chanyeol smiled down at him, speaking calmly and slowly so that Kyungsoo wouldn't feel the need to respond with his voice and strain his sick throat even more. The boy smiled and nodded back to him in a friendly manner.

Monday mornings are normally just a tad more crowded than the normal workdays for some reason. Chanyeol realized that today was no different when he felt a few people inconsiderably push against them and squeeze around.

He personally wouldn't have minded that at all. Because at the moment these people see who they're pressing against they immediately settle back and away to give Chanyeol's large body more space. It's a thing for tall wide people like him, and why complain when he enjoys all of its benefits on a daily basis.

But this time he minded it a whole lot, because it wasn't just him getting squeezed, it was Kyungsoo too.

And Kyungsoo does not under any circumstances deserve to be mistreated like this by the train's crowd. He's sick to top it all, even travelling to work must be one hell of a torture already.

So with a click of his tongue Chanyeol moved near the boy, sticking really close to him, almost over his body like a wall of protection from the rest of the crowd. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but eventually the people spread away from their spot. Chanyeol decided to remain close anyway, like a body guard.

Only when they were nearing their departure station Chanyeol looked back down to see his friend's condition, only to find him staring up at Chanyeol with a certain hint of fondness in his eyes. He smiled up at Chanyeol at the moment their eyes met, and his heart leaped one of the greatest deals he's ever felt it jump in his life.

 

  
The train then began slowing down. Preparing to stop at what would be Chanyeol's station. But also Kyungsoo's.

Somehow even after all these months, Chanyeol never figured out how Kyungsoo manages to disappear from his sight entirely at the moment he leaves the train. But today he isn't going to let it slide again.

"Ah, that's my stop."

Kyungsoo's soft voice came from where his head is located near Chanyeol's chest.

"Mine too!"

That fact seemed to have surprised the boy, because his eyes widened just a little bit when he turned to look up at Chanyeol. The view of the station slowly coming to a stop from the train's windows came around.

Did Kyungsoo really not know it?

Well, how could he? Everyday he boards the train a stop after Chanyeol, leaves before him, then on the way back enters the train only after Chanyeol's already there. He was never there to see whether Chanyeol boards or departs from the train at all.

The train ceased moving and the automatic doors opened up, letting a stream of some suit wearing adults out to the station.

A quick exchange of a gaze between them and a little nod was all they needed to know they'll stay together this time. Easily they stepped out the car, and stood there on the platform staring at each other for a moment as the train behind them closed its doors and began moving again.

"It's nice."

Kyungsoo said with crinkled eyes that suggest he's smiling under the mask. The two were already climbing up the stairs of the station to get out to the main street and part ways to get to their jobs.

"Right, and we finish at the same time too, so we could meet on the platform later!"

Chanyeol claimed cheerfully and earned a nod from his friend. Their plan was to wave goodbye to each other until their next meet, but a giant flow of awkwardness washed over the both of them when they realized they began walking in the same direction from the station's entrance.

They got over it pretty quickly though, laughing at their own amusing situation as they remained beside each other and walked on through the street together. Chanyeol made sure to stay close enough, but not too close.

Just like in the train itself, he felt responsible for his friend's safety and well being. So although subtly, he tried to maintain a cool protective appearance, keeping the job of Kyungsoo's body guard for a while longer.

At first neither of them suspected a thing. Chatting with each other calmly, forgetting that there's a world around them at all. Chanyeol was the main one to speak, not because he didn't want to hear Kyungsoo, but because it's better to keep his throat rested.

It started getting a little odd when they both took the turn towards the mall as well. Not yet parting ways.

Well, there are many stores in the streets surrounding the mall itself as well, so Chanyeol really shouldn't get his hopes too high. The fact that they work so close to one another is already a great fact to learn, he doesn't need any more than this to be satisfied. Their train journeys will continue being shared.

 

  
Then finally at the front of the mall, they came to a cease and stared at each other with strange suspicious expressions.

"You really don't have to walk me all the way to work, I'm grateful, but I'm fine, Chanyeol."

Kyungsoo was the first to break the thing layer of ice and chuckled while patting Chanyeol's chest once to reassure him that he's telling the truth.

That within itself was impossible for Chanyeol to handle internally, but what's more is the fact that Kyungsoo had just revealed that they in fact, do work in the same mall.

"First of all, I would have done it if you wanted me to. But not today, today you're the one walking ME to work it seems."

Chanyeol replied in a way that's trying to sound smart and clever, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding down with determination. Except the whole attempt to look cool flew right over Kyungsoo's head.

He looked at Chanyeol wide eyed for several seconds before tugging lightly to his sleeve and melting his heart instantly.

"You work here too?!"

Aw, Kyungsoo spoke so fast from the shock that he began coughing a little bit after. So with a gentle stroke Chanyeol rubbed the back of his head over the beanie. A moment later the two of them locked eyes and began chuckling again.

"Second floor music store. What about you?"

He asked his now not only friend but also coworker as they stepped into the mall and straight to the hidden corridor to the left of the entrance and into the maze of inner hallways that are occupied with the mall's workers.

"Oh wow. I'm down at the book store."

"Aahh! That's incredible, I can't believe we've been coming here every day without even knowing... "

Chanyeol had to facepalm himself and shake his head lightly with a frustrated sigh with the realization of his own stupidity of never trying to approach Kyungsoo beforehand and possibly spending many more hours together every single day.

To be fair, it wasn't only Chanyeol's responsibility to start this connection between them, Kyungsoo could have done it too. That makes the both of them just as foolish then, it seems.

Kyungsoo laughed heartfully and stroked Chanyeol's arm one last time before entering one of the back rooms in the hallway that's connected to the book store from behind. As Chanyeol turned back to look at him when leaving the spot, he saw how Kyungsoo stood there, mask removed, and palms over his own pink cheeks. He was smiling to himself with shy excitement.

Oh god. His heart began dancing in his chest from the sight. That's the best reassurance to their connection ever. Knowing that Kyungsoo was just as thrilled from the new information as Chanyeol himself.

Through his entire shift at the music store that morning half of the day he spent with anticipation. He cheerfully tended the customers at the store, earning a few questioning looks from Baekhyun and Yixing due to his excitement and good mood, but he didn't care. Because at the moment break time arrived he nearly dashed out to the book store to find Kyungsoo again.

 

  
He reached there mere minutes before Kyungsoo's break ended, so for that little time he was still free, the two of them sat and talked together happily. Chanyeol stuck over Kyungsoo yet again like a protective shadow.

The boy looked tired from the sickness. The other workers of the book store gave Chanyeol the same sorts of suspicious looks as he got from his own coworkers, but he didn't care.

Only when Kyungsoo had to return back inside Chanyeol joined the rest of his friends in their usual table at the center patio of the mall's cafeteria.

Except at the moment he approached them with the tray in his hands, Jongdae suddenly stood up from his spot at the table and pointed at him accusingly, turning everyone's attention towards him right away.

"So you're the reason our precious Kyungsoo is sick!!!"

He exclaimed loudly, and Chanyeol's entire body froze in shock. Huh? How on earth do they even know him? He never told Baekhyun his name? Wait. Our? What is going on?

Chanyeol hurried to the table and placed down his tray in a slam, standing at the head of the table with all eyes still up at him. Except now Sehun, Minseok and Jongin had expressions of disappointment and shook their heads lightly while clicking their tongues. As if to disapprove of Chanyeol's presence as a whole.

"HUH? OUR precious Kyungsoo?!"

He nearly roared with wide eyes, earning a round of laughter shared between Baekhyun, Yixing and Jongdae, who already sat back down to the table.

"How long have you guys known him without telling me?!"

Chanyeol asked again, still standing all tense at the head of the table and trying to catch any sort of clue for the answer in any of his friends' expressions or eyes or smiles, any hints at all would help.

"Ever since he started working here...? Duh."

Sehun was the first to answer, even waving his hand dismissively in his direction. Chanyeol stood there shaken for a few silent moments before letting his body fall back onto the chair like a limping lifeless doll of a body.

Wow. He never thought he'd be betrayed by his own friends like this.

How long as he been out of the loop? Have they been tracking them? Checking on them? Do they even know of their connection? About the train rides? Could Baekhyun have known all this time but kept pretending he doesn't so he could update the rest of the group with every juicy new development?

From the way Junmyeon and Jongdae keep talking and chuckling with Baekhyun through the entirity of their lunch break that most likely was the case.

"So, did you kiss yet? Is that how he got sick? Are you two dating?"

Junmyeon then asked at some point out of the blue, sending Chanyeol's entire body back into a stressed mode of tense muscles and prickles of embarrassment from under his skin, together with the extremely fast pace of his heart.

He heard Jongin laugh with Yixing about how his ears started turning pink too, but there's no way he'll let them enjoy this situation too much. Because truthfully, they really aren't dating.

The only reason Chanyeol considered his birthday meetup a date was to motivate himself to work harder for it. Which evidently, he wasn't able to do anyway, and it ended with Kyungsoo becoming sick himself, but it was not a date.

"N-NO! STOP! We're just friends---!!"

His voice was shaking too hard to convince anybody.

 

  
Days go on, and so do the two of them.

Their connection has gotten closer, deeper, and more meaningful. Wholly comfortable around one another at any situation. They are able to joke around as far as can be, and then moments later turn the conversation back to whatever intense subject they were talking about.

They rush to each other whenever one is on a break, meet often after work and even on weekends.

There are days where Kyungsoo comes over just to join Chanyeol when he walks Toben in the park so the two of them could hang out together a little more.

It's true that they are comfortable around one another, but the way Chanyeol's heart beats whenever Kyungsoo as merely as looks into his eyes when they speak is definitely beyond just a normal friendship type of love level.

The task of not locking his eyes down on Kyungsoo's lips and stare longingly becomes harder with each passing day. But Chanyeol has to hold it back, he still isn't certain that any of the loving affectionate turmoil he feels towards Kyungsoo is mutual. And it'd be too much of a risk to act on his own wishes.

So instead, he focused on what they already have.

Sometimes when things go slow in the music store Chanyeol puts Yixing in charge to go and visit Kyungsoo down on the first floor. It was especially adorable when one afternoon he came there and saw what Kyungsoo later explained was 'Story Time'.

Kyungsoo was sitting on a small stool at the corner of the store, pillows surrounding him on the fluffy carpet on floor, and an impressively large amount of fascinated children sat all around him and listened intently to the story he was reading to them. The way he acted out as the characters, made funny noises, asked the kids questions about the story and agreed for them to sit on his lap and lean against him was just too sweet.

That entire day Chanyeol was waddling around, overflowing with affection and love to his good friend who's the most precious human being in the world.

One thing that didn't change, was the fact that after work Chanyeol always waited for Kyungsoo at the station first. And Kyungsoo would have arrived at the very last minute before the train leaves the station on the way back. He never really understood what's keeping him back for so long even though their shifts are supposed to end at the same time.

Until one day he decided to wait for Kyungsoo at the book store instead. Which was when he saw how Kyungsoo greets the old cashier goodbye in order to close the store all on his own. It was surprising to see, because Chanyeol then remembered how months back Junmyeon mentioned that the new worker in the book store kept doing this. Chanyeol only then did the quick math and realized it was Kyungsoo all along.

Is it even possible to fall for someone you've already fallen for, all over again?

 

  
Not always it's only Chanyeol himself that goes to visit Kyungsoo.

Sometimes Kyungsoo is the one who goes up to the second floor when he has the time just to hang with Chanyeol in the store.

The only problem with it, is the fact that Baekhyun is always the first one to notice him there, and in a fluent Baekhyun nature, Chanyeol always finds that he was entertaining Kyungsoo on his own by seranading to him in the pianos section of the store.

Every time it happened Chanyeol would come along and pout at Baekhyun childishly, causing the two of them to enter an amusing whiny battle of jokes and clever statements, which led to the same constant result of Kyungsoo laughing his way away from the piano to speak with Yixing instead.

Chanyeol came to Jongin again for aid at some point. Admitting that he's been having a hard time holding back from asking Kyungsoo out in a more official manner. Jongin of course came with words of wisdom that Chanyeol already knew he should follow.

Just do it, just go for it. Don't wait too long or you'll miss your chance and miss your heart.

He reassured Chanyeol that Kyungsoo is universes of difference away from whoever Chanyeol has ever gone out with before, so he shouldn't fear or hold these old stress points out at him when asking him out.

Before commencing with his plan, Chanyeol checked Sehun's, Junmyeon's and Jongdae's working schedule for the entire week in advance. He made sure none of them would be around at a certain time of the week, and only then asked Kyungsoo out to a movie.

He was really nervous and embarrassed, but Kyungsoo agreed without hesitation and even reassured him with a happy wide smile that he's happy Chanyeol asked him out, because he has been thinking of doing that himself for the longest time and simply couldn't gather the courage to push through with it. Similar to the amount of months he spent beating himself up for not talking with Chanyeol on the train.

They made it to the movie theatre happily, but all three of the friends Chanyeol tried to avoid being seen by, were right there.

Sehun, Junmyeon and Jongdae. All of them were there and constantly watching them. They winked at Chanyeol whenever his attention was caught on them, and he continously got more and more embarrassed throughout the date. Changing their dinner plan to a simple place outside of the mall to avoid any further curious eyes of their fellow coworkers and friends.

The date was extremely successful though, is what Chanyeol deducted from the fact that when they rode the train back home from the mall it was empty and peaceful. Kyungsoo actually pecked Chanyeol's cheek goodbye before leaving for his station. Red all over his cheeks and ears as the doors closed behind him.

Chanyeol nearly missed his station that night because of the state of shock he remained frozen in after it occured. The buttrflies in his stomach weren't just flying, they were bumping into the inner walls of his belly and made him feel giddy even until the next day.

 

  
After their date, they've been standing much closer on the train every morning and evening.

Instead of Kyungsoo clinging onto the pole a little far from Chanyeol, he now automatically places himself against Chanyeol's body itself. Clinging lightly to his free arm that doesn't hold the harness while standing right against the front of his body.

They were both shy about it at first, avoiding eye contact due to the extreme closeness of their bodies, but eventually they got used to it and turned it into a fun exeprience.

Chanyeol would often lower his head a little just to sneak little pecks on top of Kyungsoo's head, knowing he's successful from the happy giggles he heard whenever he landed an especially warm one. They were in their own world. Even with the many passengers around them they were on their own at moments like these.

Sometimes, when Chanyeol needs to pick up a delivery, the two of them find each other in the back hallways of the mall. Where they usually exchange quick pecks and warm hand holding. They haven't and probably will never really raise up to Baekhyun and Yixing's level of affectionate displays at their workspace, but it isn't a competition or anything anyway.

They'd rather save their precious close contact times to when they're both comfortable with their surrounding instead of wherever they can.

When their shifts end later than usual they even hold hands inside each other's pockets as they head to the station to go back home. They sleep at each other's places almost daily, too. It just makes things easier, is what they excuse it as.

Chanyeol was so immersed in all of it, because it was so wonderful and gentle and precious, that he didn't even realize he completely forgot to tell of his friends about the fact that the two of them are officially together. It's embarrassing, but he isn't trying to hide anything. Especially not when it's something that makes him as happy as Kyungsoo does.

So one day during a lunch break where the whole group was gathered around their usual table in the patio, Chanyeol finally announced their relationship to the group. With reddened face and shaky hands.

Everyone looked surprised and happy, clapping and cheering for the good news which were revealed. Except, right after the initial cheer, they all went silent, attention shifted to something behind Chanyeol himself.

When he turned around to see what it was, he saw Kyungsoo standing there with his own tray of food, staring at them all blankly.

"Oh, uh... I already told them about it, Chanyeol."

He said without much of an emotional reaction before sitting down next to Sehun in front of Chanyeol's spot.

It took Chanyeol a few moments to register that fact, and even though nobody really paid much attention to it afterwards, he was left speechless and red for the rest of that break. Happy, and shy, and happy. Yes, definitely happy.

Riding back home on the train together every day is pretty fun. Because they often enter this state of nostalgia. Remembering how they met, how they kept glancing at each other and hoping that the other isn't looking. It's very cheesy and embarrassing, but whenever Chanyeol imagines Kyungsoo trying to sneak looks at him he can't help but feel like he loves him at least a hundred measures more.

 

  
Chanyeol slept over in Kyungsoo's place the night before Children's day. And although they knew they had to wake up early and head to work in order to decorate the mall according to the holiday to attract all of the customers that'll come there to spend the day, they overslept.

Then rushed over to the mall with their messy bed hairs at the moment they realized their mistake. Kyungsoo even accidentally came wearing Chanyeol's pajama shirt that he had claimed the previous night.

Well, how could anyone blame them for being late?

No work is worth letting go of the sleepy cuddle they shared lazily in bed that morning. They slept so well, and Chanyeol felt incredibly refreshed and energized once the realization they are late had hit him.

When they finally made it to their boss, the lady was standing there glaring at them angrily. Hands on her hips and eyebrows furrowed in disappointment.

"Finally. Here are the train boys. Go on now, get ready. We need you to prepare the decorations above the jewelry store."

She left, and the two just stood there looking at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Chanyeol likes trains.

 

  
"...Train to...arrive, please stand well back from the platform's edge until your train comes to a complete stop. Do no leave luggage unattended on the station. Any unattended luggage will be removed without warning and may be destroyed..."

Chanyeol could repeat these words accurately even if woken up in a rush in the middle of the night into a life or death situation. He definitely undoubtedly could save himself and everyone he loves if it depended on quoting these messages correctly.

He's heard it a million times already. Every single morning on his way to work, and every single evening on his way back home from work.

Somehow, he's grown to love these words, and trains.

It's worth hearing every morning again and again, because he knows that at the stop after his own, would board the most beautiful boy in the world who would give him the most beautiful smile that'll light the fire back in his heart.

The new permanent resident in Chanyeol's train of life.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the story. I hope not only today, but for the rest of your days you will be able to receive love and give love.
> 
> Please let me know what you think! ♡


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